The Return of a Demon
by Maki Jaganshi
Summary: It's been 18 years since the fall of Voldemort, and now James is attending Hogwarts as a first year. As if being Harry Potter's son wasn't hard enough, his father had mysteriously taken leave from his Ministry job to be at Hogwarts. What was he hiding, and did it have anything to do with the strange young men from Japan? ((please leave feedback, unsure if I want to continue))
1. Chapter 1

Hello :3 Just thought I'd put this out there to see what you think. I have a good chunk of it written out, but I'm not sure if its any good. XD Please let me know what you think, and whether or not I should post more. With that said, thank you and enjoy the ride. :D

* * *

Harry had a number of qualms about Professor McGonagall's choice for the new Herbology professor. After Professor Sprout had retired, his very credible sources told him his good friend Neville would be taking the position. He was, after all, a natural genius when it came to plants, and having seen what he could do during their school years confirmed that he was more than qualified.

What actually surprised him most was that Neville had neglected to inform him. And so, during a quick visit to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class for a lecture, he stopped by the Herbology room to say hi, only to find himself face to face with a young foreigner.

"I'm sorry," the young man apologized quickly. It seemed that only moments ago they were about to crash into each other, but miraculously the catastrophe was avoided. "Can I help you with anything, Mr. Potter?" he asked with a warm smile. Harry gave a nervous laugh. Though the scar had faded to nothing more than a dark line, everyone in the wizarding world still recognized him at first sight.

"Oh, I was just looking for the Herbology professor, is he here?"

"That would be me," the young man replied, his elegantly slanted green eyes betraying nothing. No doubt he knew that Harry was expecting someone else. "I am Professor Shuichi Minamino, it is a pleasure to meet you." He shifted the books in his arms to extend a hand. Stunned for a moment, Harry shook his hand with his mouth slightly open.

"I'm sorry, but it seems I've got the wrong office," he hurriedly said with an awkward smile. Minamino pushed back a strand of red hair so bright it could give the Weasley's a run for their money. "If you'll excuse me."

"Not a problem, I hope you find who you're looking for." Harry abruptly turned to walk away, feeling very foolish and awkward. Who was this foreign man, and what happened to Neville? The questions burned in his mind as he tried to understand everything. It wasn't until he had walked through several corridors did he notice the soft echo of another's footsteps behind him. Glancing behind him, he caught a flash of red, knowing it to be the professor. Feeling a little guilty about their first encounter, he decided to start over and turned to face him.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier," he apologized, waiting as Minamino caught up to him in a few long strides. The red head gave him a knowing smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, professor. I'll admit, I was expecting someone else."

"I don't suppose you are headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, are you?" Minamino asked, walking beside Harry. Upon closer inspection, Harry realized how young the man was, yet his eyes were inexplicably ancient. It reminded him of Dumbledore's eyes, if only for a moment.

"Yes, I've been invited to give a lecture today for the sixth years," Harry responded back. "Um, might I ask, you're not from around here are you?" Minamino chuckled.

"No, I am certainly not," he replied. "Is my accent that horrible?"

"No! Actually you don't have much of an accent at all. It's just, there aren't many Asians in Hogwarts that I've seen."

"Indeed. I would not go so far as to say I am unwelcomed..." Minamino's voice trailed off as he paused, "...rather, I find it difficult to find people who will act naturally around me. At least the students don't mind."

"I'm sure you have a lot of fans, professor," Harry said reassuringly. "You're still young and very good-looking, unlike myself."

"Thank you, I shall take it to heart. It's not everyday that one's looks get complimented by the great Harry Potter himself." At this, the Auror scoffed.

"I'm nothing special anymore." Minamino smiled again, and Harry was starting to wonder if this smile was actually genuine. But before he could say anymore, they had reached the door leading into the DADA classroom. Upon seeing its familiar shape, with all its scuffs and cracks and dents, Harry couldn't help feeling nostalgic. It had been so long ago, and at his age his memories weren't what they used to be. At the time though, he thought he would remember them forever.

"It has been a pleasure chatting with you," Minamino said. Harry suddenly snapped to attention, having lost himself in nostalgia.

"Ah, right, a pleasure," he responded back. He noticed that the professor hadn't left. "Um, were you needing something professor?"

"Yes, but please, you first." Harry didn't let his skepticism show as he swung the door wide open. Once inside, he saw Professor Periwinkle at the front of the class standing next to a short woman with pink hair. Murmurs began to arise as the students recognized his face. Yet, it seemed the attention was short lived as it quickly moved to Professor Minamino, who followed him inside.

"Ah! Harry Potter, welcome!" Periwinkle exclaimed with delight. He was a portly man who wore a suit full of gaudy colored patches. His hair was a wild bushel of white that he didn't bother taming, and his eyes were small and close together, making his face look like a punctured vegetable. "Students, put your books away, you shan't be needing those. We'll continue our demon lecture at the start of our next class."

"Professor Periwinkle, thank you for having me," Harry said graciously, walking along the classroom to the front. They clasped hands, and Periwinkle shook it vigorously. The short, pink haired elderly woman said nothing as she walked over to the door, where Minamino was waiting for her.

"I see you've brought Professor Minamino with you, is there something I can help you with?"

"No no," Minamino reassured, waving his hand with a smile," I am merely here to speak with Professor Genkai."

"Of course! I believe our lecture is over for the day," Periwinkle said. Nothing mattered to him anymore now that Harry Potter was there. Shuichi bowed his head in thanks, and the two professors made their exit.

"As all of you know, Mr. Potter here is head of the Auror Office at the Ministry of Magic, and the youngest to achieve that title!" Periwinkle said enthusiastically. He knew a lot about Harry, it seemed. But as he continued on with his lengthy introduction, Harry couldn't stop thinking about the new Herbology professor, or the elderly lady who was here moments ago. He would certainly have to talk about this with Professor McGonagall. But then, as he noticed the students staring at him in an awkward silence, he realized that Professor Periwinkle's monologue was over, and quickly began his lecture.

Hours later, as the sixth years burst out of the DADA room full of comments, Harry found himself a chair and sank into it. The students seemed to have an infinite amount of questions, and it took all his wit to keep up with them. Periwinkle, despite wanting to stay and chat, had urgent business to attend to and left.

"_I'm getting old,_" Harry thought to himself, letting his head hang over the back of the chair as he gazed up at the dragon skeleton above him. "Ahh, the memories," he said to himself, thinking back on how in his second year the pixies had hung poor Neville upon the ceiling. A short burst of laughter escaped his lips.

"Will you share the humor with me?" Minamino asked. His sudden appearance made Harry jump uncontrollably, and he twisted his neck in a painful way. Grabbing his injured muscles, he groaned in pain. "I'm sorry, hold on," Minamino said, pulling out his wand. He stepped behind Harry, gently moving aside his hand to replace it with his own and muttered, "Relaxo." Harry felt a warm sensation underneath Minamino's palm before the pain melted away. "Better?"

"Much better, thanks." Minamino stepped forward to face Harry as he put away his wand.

"I brought you some water. I've learned this first week that it is essential for survival as a professor." Harry gratefully accepted the mug handed to him, gulping the fresh water in big mouthfuls. Minamino proceeded to sit at an empty desk, his long legs extended outwards with one crossed over the other. In this position, Harry could see that underneath the traditional black robe he wore a lightly colored oriental outfit.

"Thank you. I'm sorry you have to take care of an old dog like me."

"Not at all." He fell silent as Harry finished the last of the water. Letting out a deep sigh, he set the mug down on a nearby desk. There was still so much he wanted to know, but he felt prudent to ask. "You seem confused," Minamino said lightly. "Perhaps, you are looking for some answers?" This guy had hit the mark.

"Well, you're Japanese, correct?"

"I am."

"Were you a student at the Mahootokoro?"

"No, I was raised a Muggle."

"A Muggle?" Harry asked incredulously. "Then, where did you learn magic?"

"No where, I learned on my own," Minamino replied with a cunning smile. Again, Harry wasn't sure how genuine it was. Everything about the young man exhibited respect, politeness, and kindness, yet there was a depth to him that he couldn't quite understand. His gut feeling was telling him not to trust him, and as head Auror, he learned to always trust his gut.

"That's incredible," Harry managed to finally say. Minamino looked down at his watch.

"I'm sorry, but I must be going. I have someone waiting for me," he said, standing up from his seat. Harry also stood up out of formality. He grabbed the mug on the counter as Minamino was about to reach for it.

"Allow me."

"Thank you." Minamino made his way to the door. He swung it open quietly, then stopped, looking back at Harry. His green eyes were downcast, and his smile was gone. "Mr. Potter, it would be wise to exercise caution. The Second Wizarding War may be behind you, but there are far worse things to come." Before Harry had time to react, the door was shut firmly behind the professor, and Harry was left alone in the DADA classroom, speechless.

One way or another, Harry had made his way anxiously into the Headmaster's Office. Professor McGonagall seemed to have taken after Dumbledore and kept the password's category candy, so it didn't take long for him to figure it out. Once he had made his way upstairs, he burst through the door with an angry expression on his face.

"Professor," he muttered out of habit, "I want to know exactly what is going on here in Hogwarts." The elderly lady sighed. She was expecting this.

"Have a seat, Potter," she motioned, waving her wand. A large fluffy blue chair shifted over with a loud creak, and Harry took it. "What is it you want to know exactly?"

"I was under the impression that Neville would be taking Professor Sprout's position. Instead, I find this, this, _shady _Japanese person claiming to be a professor! He looks barely over 16 years old!"

"I assure you, Neville will have the position soon enough."

"That's not the point! What I want to know is what the hell that guy is doing here!"

"It is for good reason Shuichi Minamino has been emplo-"

"I don't trust him!" Harry shouted, neglecting his chair. "James is attending school for his first year! I have to make sure it's safe for him!" He pounded the desk. "What could possibly compel you to hire such a-"

"POTTER!" Her raised voice cut through his emotions, and wearily he sat back down. "Please, if I may," she said deliberately, harshly looking down at him over her reading glasses. Harry had always thought she was old, but today she looked especially tired and frail. He sat back down in silence. "I am... retiring, at the end of this school year," she said with a sigh, removing her glasses. "And since the fall of Voldemort, there are certain things that have been lost to the Wizarding world."

She reached a hand up to one of the bookshelves along the other side of the room. A small, black book with ancient gold thread bindings floated its way to her, settling itself on the desk as her ink, papers, and quills flitted aside to give it room. "This book chronicles the history of a man named Markos Crucias." Her voice cracked suddenly. "He was a wicked, wicked man who drove us to create the Statute of Secrecy in the 1680s." She pushed the book forward on the desk. "I will be expecting you back within the week."

Still angry, confused, and scared, Harry hesitated in grabbing the book. It wasn't because he didn't trust his former professor, who had guided him well beyond his years at Hogwarts. It was the sudden wild beating in his heart that threatened to burst from his chest. The feeling he had felt from Minamino was now tenfold, and it nearly paralyzed him in fear. This book was not to be touched lightly.

"I understand, professor."

Harry decided it was best to keep the vile, dark object away from his family, so instead of going home he booked a room in Hogsmead for the week. He made sure to send an owl to Ginny, lightly informing her that his return would be delayed. He knew she wasn't going to be happy without an explanation, but for now all he was concerned about was the book.

He sat at the desk provided for him, staring at the closed book. It took him a moment to get the courage to grab the corner of the leather cover, and as he slowly peeled it back he could hear the pages inside crackling with age. Hermione would literally kill to get her hands on this book. And, oddly enough, Harry felt that the book wouldn't mind it at all.

The very first page had a simple title written in a dark red ink that Harry assumed was blood. As an Auror, he had come across many blood magic artifacts and knew the risks involved. Before moving on, he used a spell to coat his skin in a protective layer to avoid so much as a paper cut. Then, taking a deep breath, he turned to page one.

* * *

_Nothing can be said for certain about Markos Crucias' life before the slaughter. Born as a lord's first son and heir, he wanted for nothing. His parents were Muggles of faith, and some say that this is what ultimately drove him. Having no brothers or sisters for company, he devoted himself to the church, calling for those who were weak of heart to find solace in his guidance. He would spend days, even months, reforming those who had fallen from God's Grace. The clergy saw him as a true servant of God, willing to sacrifice his own self for the good of others._

_In truth, however, Crucias was a cruel man who found pleasure in the pain of others. Those that he reformed were tortured into God's Grace, slowly at first. Starvation, beating, and branding, to name a few. The church turned a blind eye, happy to have a true servant of God that reformed people so quickly. It was only a matter of time until Crucias familiarized himself with more intense forms of physical torture including, but not limited to, abacination, scalping, and pitchcapping._

_It took many years for the church to realize Crucias' true nature. They cast him out, slandering his image and reputation. Thus began Crucias' life of solitude and seclusion of 15 years. No one knows what happened to him, and there are no records to this day of his disappearance._

_He returned to the public eye in the year 1641, when the Wizarding world and Muggles found themselves at an impasse. Crucias offered his services to the Monarch, William III. He spun a tale of lies, feeding poison to the king's ear of the despicable things witches and wizards had done. He used his own victims as witnesses to his testament. The king was appalled by what he saw, and in his ignorance and haste, allowed Crucias the permission he needed to hunt._

_At first, the man's endeavors seemed foolish, if not humorous. Wendelin the Weird played host to many of his executions in multiple disguises, always managing to get away at the last moment with her trademark Flame-Freezing Charm. But he got clever, and soon it wasn't just the witches and wizards falling prey to his scheme. Crucias would accuse fellow Muggles by using cheap tricks and lies. He would then put them up to impossible task to prove their innocence, where all failed. Through torture and interrogation, he had numerous victims confess to crimes they did not commit._

_He appealed to the church, saying that his long disappearance had cleansed him of the devil, and that God was showing him the path to righteousness. The church welcomed him and supported his witch-hunts, appointing him as Bishop._

_This angered the Wizarding world, and in a furious rage they plotted to seek revenge against the evil tyrant who threatened their way of life. They could only see his tenacious drive to torture witches and wizards that they did not see the core of the problem; the man himself was nothing more than a beast._

_Deep in the night, they swarmed his house, preparing their Dark Arts. In the middle of the ceremony, Crucias awoke to find himself surrounded by witches and wizards. He attacked without mercy, killing as many as he could. The last witch, Jacquenetta Whittemore, was able to mutter the final words to the curse before she was killed._

_No one expected it to turn out the way it did. The curse only proved to make him stronger than anything the world had ever seen._

_And that's when the killings began._

_Hundreds upon thousands of witches and wizards were hunted down by this man who was no longer human. While the adults knew well enough to hide, it was the children who were hit the hardest. They were unable to hide their natural born gift, and "accidental magic" often gave it away. The leaders in the Wizarding world tried to plea with the Monarch to call of their dog, but it was far too late._

_They had created a demon._

Harry subconsciously closed the book, his eyes boring down into its thin, black leather cover. A demon. While he's certainly heard of them before, he never expected them to be real. Growing up, he had always heard fictional stories of witches and wizards summoning them to do their bidding. But as he thought about it, he couldn't ever recall a time when demons were mentioned to him seriously.

He was a little more than halfway, but Harry decided to save it for later. He slowly changed clothes, his mind trying to digest what he just read. At one point, he had accidentally found himself stuffing two legs down a single pant hole. Frustrated somehow, he started to jerk himself free, ripping the pants in two. Sighing, he figured it was better to sleep pantless anyway. He'd fix them tomorrow.

Once in bed, he blew out the lantern candle and drifted off into a dark night's sleep.

* * *

That morning a knock woke him up. "Mr. Potter sir, you have an owl." Harry dragged himself out of bed, trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. _"Ginny must've sent me a reply," _he thought to himself. He was about to turn the door when he realized he still wasn't wearing pants. Cursing under his breath, he muttered a charm to fix them quickly and pulled them up. The patchwork wasn't great, but it'll do. "Mr. Potter!"

"I'm coming! Sorry," Harry cried out, nearly tripping over his own bag. He reached the door handle and opened it to find a busboy with his arm holding an owl. The owl was three times the size of his head and looking rather impatient. He pecked at the busboy's hair, who looks like he'd been through quite a lot. Harry extended his own arm out for the owl. "Thanks," he replied, handing the boy a few sickle for his troubles. Thankful to be rid of the owl, the boy hurried off.

Setting the owl down on the desk, he quickly untied the letter attached to its foot.

_Harry,_

_You better tell me what's going on when you get back._

_Ginny_

Harry smiled. He knew he could trust his wife with anything. Grabbing a quill, he wrote a quick reply and attached it to the owl's foot, who offered it grudgingly. "Come on, Wiggles. I made sure to tell Ginny to give you lots of treats on your return." The Great Gray Howl fluffed his plumage obstinately before hopping its way to the windowsill. With a flap of his large feathery wings he leaped into the sky. Harry watched him go, feeling a twang of envy for the creature's gift of flight. He decided then that on his return to Hogwarts, he would find a broom shop to rent one.

Looking back down at his desk, his eyes were drawn to the small leather book. Harry didn't know if it could actually be called a book, it was even smaller than Tom Riddle's journal. Repeating the spell he had used the day before, he opened the book and continued reading.

_For thirty-five years the massacre continued. It is impossible to put a number to the lives lost, for both wizarding folk and muggles. There was no discrimination. An organization named The Brotherhood of Twenty-Two arose to fight him, led by Eldin Espenshade. They employed the darkest magic known: demon summoning._

_With demons as their allies they finally had a fighting chance. However, only a selected few were capable of summoning demons. Espenshade was the most capable of them all, and proved to be a mighty force against Crucias. His demon, Berith, had countless armies at his disposal. In the year 1684 they clashed like two titans. At the critical moment, Espenshade struck a formidable blow against Crucias, securing his victory. With his last moments, Crucias removed Espenshade's silver ring that kept Berith under his control._

_Finally free, Berith turned on his master, killing him swiftly. Those who were left in The Brotherhood of Twenty-Two managed to seal the demon. With their demons, they created a stone archway leading into the afterlife, throwing Berith, Espenshade, Crucias, and themselves inside, never to return._

_And thus, the world was finally free. Demon magic was abolished, and knowledge of their existence was erased. The British Ministry of Magic could not move the archway, however, and attempts to dig underneath it caused it to sink even further. So, they hid the archway deep into the earth and built around it, hiding its existence from the wizarding world._

Harry turned the page, but there was nothing more, only a few empty pages. Feeling anxious and angry, he shoved the book off the desk. It fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, its pages bent and folded awkwardly. He had always thought that his years in the ministry had revealed most if not all of his secrets. But demon summoning? He had never heard of it, even in jest! Demons were for those who believed in a higher calling.

He rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm down. The entire thing sounded like a myth to him, and not to be believed. But his son was attending Hogwarts, as would the rest of his children when they were of age. He had to protect them at all costs.

Another knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Sighing, he picked up the book, smoothing out its ancient pages before setting it back on the table. "Come in," he said.

Kingsley stepped through the door, his unique blue robes making the only noise audible. "Mr. Potter, it is my understanding that Headmistress McGonagall has shared some information with you." His voice was low and held none of its reassuring tones that Harry was so used to. "May I?" he asked.

"Of course, Minister," Harry said, standing up from his chair. He shut the door behind Kingsly, who conjured a chair for himself. "I don't know what to make of it myself."

"It is a troubling topic indeed." There was a moment of silence as the two men sized up the situation. "What I am about to say to you cannot be repeated. It is information that is only known by the British Minister and no one else. Minerva should have never known, nor was it her place to share it with you." Harry's heart jumped to his throat as Kingsley's eyes glanced towards the book. "To have it in your possession only leads to your death."

"Minister, are you here to kill me?" Harry asked nervously. His hand was itching to grab his wand, which was currently sitting on the bed three feet away. Kingsley's eyes snapped back to Harry, narrowed. Suddenly, the wrinkles around them relaxed, and Kingsley gave him a warm smile.

"No Harry, I'm not here to kill you." Harry let go of the breath he had been holding, relieved. "We have been friends for many years, and to have you killed would break my heart. No, this is something that got out of hand before your time." He reached forward, picking up the book with a delicate hand to pocket it in his robes. "Have you read the book?"

"I have." Kingsly nodded to himself.

"Good. Then you will accompany me to visit Minerva. There is a lot to be discussed." He stood up from his chair, which disappeared the moment he stood.

"_So much for getting a broom,_" Harry thought to himself.

* * *

Waiting for them in the Headmaster's office was Minamino, the professor he only knew as Genkai, and three others he couldn't identify. They stood behind the headmistress sitting in her chair, their foreign dress clashing horribly with the surrounding atmosphere. They truly looked out of this world. "Good evening Minister, Mr. Potter."

"It is good to see you again, Minerva," Kingsley responded amicably. She gave him a feeble smile. "It has been too long."

"Too long indeed. Let me introduce my collegues. Starting from the left, Shuichi Minamino, Yusuke Urameshi, Hiei Jaganshi, Koenma, and Genkai." Four of them bowed their heads, while the last one simply scoffed. "Before you is the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Harry Potter, head of the Auror Office in the ministry."

"Auror?" the one called Yusuke asked. He looked no older than Shuichi with his hair slicked back.

"An Auror official works to apprehend and detain dark wizards and witches," McGonagall provided. "It is a difficult profession."

"Hmph, no kidding," the youth responded back. Shuichi nudged him, a sign to behave no doubt.

"I assume, Minister, you are here for the book."

"Yes, and it has safely returned to my possession," Kingsley responded warily. "May I ask, how did it come into your hands, headmistress?"

"It was given to Albus when former minister Millicent Bagnold retired, and in turn he handed it to me shortly before his death," McGonagall replied sharply.

"But why would Millicent give it to Albus? Surely it was meant for Cornelius upon his coronation."

"Indeed. It is my belief that she saw Cornelius for who he really was, and handed it to the only person she could trust." Kingsley nodded to himself. There had been no better man to trust than Albus Dumbledore.

"Has anyone else seen this?"

"Outside of this room, there is no one alive who knows what is going on."

"I don't know what's going on," Harry interjected. The whole situation made him feel like a child again, where no one would tell him anything. "All of this seems extremely dangerous. Why aren't people more aware of this?"

"Let me start from the beginning, Harry," said Kingsley. "As you know, there lies in the Department of Mysteries the Veil. To our knowledge, it is a doorway between our world and the afterlife, with no return." Harry remembered it well, since it was the place where his godfather died. "A few weeks ago, the employees expressed their concern to me about recent activity, worried that it might bring harm to the wizarding world. They reported that the voices behind the Veil were becoming restless and repeating one word: _Crucias_." A shiver ran down Harry's spine. The room had suddenly gotten cold. Kingsley was fidgeting with something on his finger before pulling it off, revealing a simple silver ring. "This ring is passed down from Minister to Minister. I have never questioned its origin or simplicity until recently, and now I believe it to be the ring of Eldin Espenshade. It is what brought me here to the book."

"So it is true?" McGonagall asked softly. Kingsley nodded solemnly. One of the foreigners, Koenma, stepped forward. He was tall with a slim build, and also wore robes of blue that were trimmed with a bright red. He looked older than both Shuichi and Yusuke, and in his mouth was a ... pacifier? Harry couldn't really tell.

"May I see it?" he asked. Kingley handed him the ring, which he inspected very carefully.

"This is full of spirit energy," he muttered, "and a very powerful object. While it doesn't have any negative effects, if put into the wrong hands it could be dangerous."

"Spirit energy?" Harry asked. Koenma looked up at him, and Harry finally noticed the letters Jr printed on his forehead.

"Our world is very different from yours, Harry, and demons even more so. To put it simply, inside every human lies body energy and spirit energy. Body energy can show an aptitude for magic, but everyone, if properly trained, can use spirit energy in some shape or form, be it small or large. Demons also harness an energy, but the two are not to be confused." He motioned towards the others. "Yusuke, Kurama, come over here."

"_Kurama?_" Yusuke and Shuichi stepped forward from behind McGonagall. "_It must be a nickname._"

"Yusuke is a human, and wields spirit energy," Koenma said. The boy grinned and held out his hand. It began to glow a bright blue, and Harry felt something he could only explain as a good vibe. "Kurama is a demon-"

"Demon?!" Shuichi's face remained unchanged.

"Right, sorry, forgot to mention," Koenma said briskly. "Kurama and Hiei are both demons that work for me. They will not harm you in anyway."

"Not worth my time," he heard Hiei mutter under his breath. Koenma gave him a sideways glance.

"Anyway, as I was saying, Kurama uses demon energy." Shuichi put out his hand, which was glowing bright purple. It felt completely different from Yusuke's energy; a bad vibe. Harry couldn't help but cringe.

"If I could interrupt," Genkai said, her voice piercing. "We have yet to discuss what we plan to do. The lessons can wait."

"Right, sorry Genkai." Koenma, Yusuke, and Shuichi stepped back.

"For now," McGonagall spoke, "we shall have Genkai and Shuichi posing as professors. Yusuke will act as Groundskeeper, and Hiei..." Her voice trailed with uncertainty.

"I'll be around," the short man said gruffly. How his hair managed to stay straight up was a mystery to Harry.

"There is also one other who will be joining us, and he will be the Caretaker. The five of them will serve as protection for Hogwarts, should anything arise." McGonagall grew quiet. Genkai glanced at her expectantly. "We will also be educating the students about demons in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class." Kingsley's brow creased.

"And you were planning to tell me this when?"

"What we teach here at Hogwarts is no longer your concern," McGonagall said swiftly. "Ever since that ridiculous woman barged in here 20 years ago I have worked tirelessly to ensure it doesn't happen again."

"Dully noted, Headmistress," Kingsley said, his voice betraying his emotion. "However as both minister and friend, I cannot agree with you."

"If anything were to happen Kingsley, the children should be prepared for the worst," McGonagall stated firmly.

"To be fair," Genkai cut in, "if demons were to attack Hogwarts there would be little you could do. Unless the students were to learn demon magic, which to my understanding is lost to you, there is nothing stopping them from burning the whole place down." She turned her attention to Kingsley. "Minister, I understand your concern. However, the last time we attempted to cover something up, it came back to bite us in the ass." Kingsley sighed, deep in thought.

"You are my friend Minerva, and I trust your judgment. If you believe it to be necessary, I shall not stop you." He stood up from his chair. "However, I want you to discuss these decisions with me, so that I am not kept in the dark. Will you do that?"

"Of course, Kingsley," McGonagall reassured him.

"And if you need anything from the ministry, do not hesitate to ask."

"Actually, there is one thing you can do. We would like to borrow Mr. Potter for a while." Everyone's attention was turned to Harry, who looked around incredulously.

"What could I possibly do, professor? I know nothing about demons."

"It seems that Professor Minamino has shown an aptitude for wizardry, and needs a mentor." Kingsley stood up from his chair.

"He is yours, if he is willing," the minister said. "I will find you a suitable replacement for the time being, Harry."

"I would be glad to," Harry responded.

"I am under your care," Shuichi said to Harry, bowing. He was so polite and normal looking, it was hard to believe that he was a demon."Thank you, Minister Kingsley." He nodded and left the office, and Yusuke let out a tremendous sigh.

"I'm glad that's over!" he said loudly, stretching out his arms. "Man, this is getting to be such a pain in the ass."

"I need to make my leave as well," Koenma said to McGonagall.

"Thank you Koenma for being here. Your help in the matter is appreciated."

"Let's just hope my father doesn't hear of this," he said darkly before disappearing without a sound. Harry would say he Disapparated, but he knew it wasn't possible on Hogwarts. He made sure to add it to his list of questions, which by now was growing exponentially.

"So you're Harry Potter," Yusuke said, bemused. "I thought you'd be skinnier." Harry didn't know what to say to that. Genkai stepped up next to him, pinching his arm. "Ow! What the hell was that for Grandma?!"

"Be nice, dimwit," she scolded harshly. "You could certainly learn a thing or two from Kurama." This reminded Harry, who turned to Shuichi.

"Is Kurama a nickname for you?" he asked. Shuichi smiled.

"In a way. You may call me whatever you wish."

"I heard you did some pretty amazing things a while back," Yusuke mentioned. "Defeating a dark wizard, that must've been tough." He didn't sound very impressed, but Harry kept up the niceness.

"You didn't hear about it? It was a pretty big deal." Before Yusuke could say anymore, there came a noise from the staircase.

"Yusuke get yer butt movin'! We got a lot to cover- 'Arry!" Hagrid exclaimed happily. "I 'aven't seen ya since Lily's birthday party!" Harry grinned, striding over to the large half-giant.

"Hagrid! It's so great to see you," he said happily, giving him a hug. He knew he couldn't reach all the way around him, but he tried anyway.

"What brings ya all the way down 'ere?"

"Ahem." McGonagall coughed loudly. "I have a lot of work needing to be done, so if the four of you would leave." Harry looked around, realizing that Genkai and Hiei had already disappeared.

"Sorry Professor." Shuichi apologized. He ushered Yusuke and Hagrid out of the office quietly. Harry was about to leave when a thought occured to him.

"Professor, where will I be staying?" he asked.

"We have a room prepared for you in the East Wing. Have Professor Minamino show you the way." Harry's face turned sour. After discovering the truth about Shuichi, he didn't feel so comfortable being around him. "Oh, and Harry," McGonagall called to him. "Not a word of this to anyone, do I make myself clear?" Harry nodded. "Good. You may leave."


	2. Chapter 2

I'd just like to say thanks to _The Fire and Ice_ for the review they left. :3 I'd love to get some more feedback if anyone has the time. And thank you for following me! *bows*

Quick note, this is actually chapter 2. The other two chapters will be merged into one halfway through this week. Updates will be coming weekly on Sundays.

* * *

Downstairs, Yusuke and Hagrid had already left to take care of business. Shuichi had stayed, waiting for Harry. It was time for the classes to change, and the hallways were crammed with students rushing to their next class. Shuichi was surrounded by a horde of female students who were asking all sorts of questions. He answered each and every one of them patiently, avoiding any serious answers.

"Professor Minamino!" he called out over the crowd. The young man looked up at him with a smile, and many of the girls turned to glare at him, only to be surprised.

"Ladies, your questions will have to wait. I have some business to attend to." They all groaned and whined in protest, but nevertheless moved aside to let him pass through. "If I may speak to you in private." Harry swallowed hard.

"Of course." They made their way through the crowds, being stopped numerous times by students. Finally, as all of them were in class, the halls were silent once more, and they could move with ease. Harry stayed once step behind him, watching carefully. Shuichi led him to the Greenhouses outside, finally stopping at his office door.

"Please, make yourself at home." Harry felt a sudden rush of heat as Shuichi opened the door, revealing an office covered in plants. He could barely make out the form of a desk behind the shrubbery in front of it, and to the corner there was a small clearing consisting of two chairs and a coffee table. "Don't mind the plants, they are mostly harmless."

Harry carefully made his way to the chairs. The vines across the floor slithered out from under him, giving him a clear path. "These plants, have they been here this entire time?"

"No, they belong to me." He sat down in the chair beside Harry. "I know that all of this is sudden for you, learning about demons. I want to make sure that we can trust each other. I will not hide things from you, so if you have any questions please ask." Harry remained quiet. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but it was difficult to say anything. Shuichi however, was patient, until finally Harry spoke.

"You're a demon, yet you are able to perform magic, why?"

"My soul is that of a demon who escaped death, and resided in a human child's body yet to be born. In a way, I am also human, and my body can channel the magic sufficiently."

"Why are you working for Koenma? How do I know you will not turn on us?" Shuichi smiled.

"An excellent question. For now, you don't. I am working here for Koenma as a favor to both him and Yusuke, to whom I owe my life. I would never betray my friends." He looked at Harry closely with his bright green eyes. "Does it surprise you that demons have a sense of honor?" Harry didn't respond. He noticed the plants rustling around them.

"Your wand, may I see it?"

"Of course." Shuichi pulled out his wand, handing it to Harry's outstretched palm. To his surprise, it was a wood he couldn't recognize. Its deep red color gave life to the ornately designed rose at the end. "I created that wand myself, under Ollivander's guidance."

"You created it?" Harry asked. There was still so much about the man that surprised him.

"Since I am still a demon, many of the woods rejected me. Even the core could not be made without a strand of my own hair." Harry passed the wand back to Shuichi, who pocketed it carefully. "I have not been able to use it, so I look forward to our lessons."

"Lessons? Oh right, I'm supposed to teach you," Harry remembered. Then suddenly he asked, "But you used a spell yesterday, when I had strained my muscle."

"Ahh, that? I simply uttered a latin word to hide the fact that I was using my own methods to fix your neck." Harry remembered the palm that was placed on his neck, which had felt warm during the incantation. "I felt it wise not to reveal my true nature just yet."

"You lied to me about learning magic. How are you going to be the Herbology professor without knowing how to use it? That doesn't seem very wise."

"Look around you, Harry. I know a lot more about plants than you think." It was true, there were a numerous amount of plants that Harry had never even seen before. "There are many things I can teach these students without the use of magic. Now, I have a question for you." He leaned forward in his chair, and Harry instinctively scooted back. "When will our first lesson be?"

"I don't know yet," Harry responded back carefully. "I need to return home and tell my wife that I'll be staying here."

"Of course." The two of them fell silent.

"I need to get going," Harry said, standing up from his chair. His sudden movement agitated the plants, which rustled loudly in protest but parted to let him pass. "I don't know how much of it was honest, but thank you for answering my questions." Shuichi remained in his chair, nodding as Harry left the room. Once the door was closed, he let out a deep sigh. It was going to be harder than he thought.

* * *

"Did you hear that Harry Potter is here at Hogwarts?" a first year girl said to her neighbor. James, sitting in front of them in Transfiguration class, couldn't help but overhear. He sat there silently, wishing the professor would arrive. After being sorted and given a week to adjust to the school, classes had finally begun. His schedule began with History of Magic, of all things, and continued on to Potions, then Charms. Now, all that was left was Transfiguration before lunch.

"Do you think he's replacing Periwinkle?"

"I heard he got fired from the ministry."

"He didn't get fired, he's bloody Harry Potter! He must've quit."

"It's not like that!" James suddenly cut in, whipping around in his seat to glare at them. "You don't know anything!" The girls went quiet, until one of them spoke up.

"Well then, _you_ tell us. Why is your dad here at Hogwarts?" James didn't know what to say. He hadn't seen his dad at all since he arrived at Hogwarts. He had received no mention of it in his owls from him or his mother. In fact, he only found out because of the rumors going around. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt hurt that they hadn't told him anything at all. "See? Even James doesn't know!" the girl teased.

Angry and upset, he turned back around to stare at his book. Since coming to Hogwarts, he had been ostracized for being, "The Great Harry Potter's Son." Outside of class, he was fine with just talking to Freddy and Victoire, who were older than him. He occasionally spoke to Teddy, but the seventh year was often busy with Head Boy duties. But in class, no one spoke a word to him, only in hushed whispers behind his back. He felt jealous that his father had such a great time at Hogwarts.

"Hey," a classmate beside him said, nudging him with her elbow. "You got a quill?" Her accent was rough, and he couldn't tell whether it was English or something else. Her hair was thick and wavy, cascading over her shoulders. "Well?" she asked again.

"Oh, sorry. Here." He passed her a spare quill of his. Behind her thick square rimmed glasses her brown eyes lit up.

"Thanks. Gaby! I got you a quill." She poked the girl in front of her, who turned in her seat. Her short hair was tied back in an attempt to tame the black curls that sprouted from her head.

"Yes! I'm so relieved!" she said happily. "I can't believe I forgot my quills."

"I can." That's when James recognized the two.

"You're the twin sisters from America," he said out loud. Gaby turned to him, her mouth opening in shock.

"You're Harry Potter's son! Angie, it's James Potter!"

"Who?" Angie said, not really paying attention. "Oh, that guy." She sounded as if she had forgotten a minor detail.

"Thank you for the quill," Gaby said with a smile. "I'm Gaby by the way, and this is Angie. Can I give it back to you in the common room later?"

"You can keep it," he said. "You guys don't look the same, are you really twins?"

"We're fraternal twins," Angie said, "so we don't look the same."

"Oh." James pretended like he understood. He was about to say more, but at that moment the professor walked into the classroom.

"Quiet please," he said to the whispering students, who hushed at his command. "My name is Professor Avis Doxwood. I'm assuming you're all here for Transfiguration, yes?" The class responded with a chorus of yes.

"Duh," Angie muttered under her breath. She caught James looking at her and flashed a grin. James smiled back, happy to have finally made a friend.

After Transfiguration it was lunch, and James felt confident enough to ask if he could sit with the twins. They obliged, moving over to give him enough room. "I can't believe we have flying class after lunch," Gaby said dejectedly, poking her shepherd's pie with a fork. James looked up from his plate.

"Flying's next?" he asked. Angie laughed, pointing a fork at Gabby.

"She can't even fly on a broom to save her life," she said. "There was that one time-"

"Shut up! Don't say it!" Gaby moaned, covering her ears. But James wasn't listening, he had his own problems to deal with.

"Um, I think I've gotten a little sick," he said suddenly, getting up from the table. "I'm gonna go to the nurse's..." Gaby looked at him quizzically.

"And miss flying lessons?" she asked. James nodded, trying not to look at her. "Well, feel better."

"Thanks." He walked out, holding his stomach for good measure.

"I'll save you a broom!" Angie called out. He gave her a weak smile and slipped through the doors, slowly making his way to the Hospital Wing. Madam Wainscott, however, saw right through his attempts and kicked him out with a scolding. Furious at himself for not having a Skiving Snackbox handy, he trudged back to his next lesson.

The sun was brightly shining down on the courtyard, and as James stepped out onto the grass he could see his classmates attempting to ride their brooms. The professor was a tall, lanky woman with jet black hair tied in a tight braid. Her eyes were sharp as she lowered her gaze onto James, who suddenly felt very, very small.

"You're Mr. Potter's boy, aren't you?" she asked him without so much as a smile. He gulped and nodded. Behind her, he could see that Angie had noticed him and was waving him over. "No doubt your parents already taught you how to fly. Grab a broom." Plucking up his courage, he managed to squeak in protest.

"Professor, my parents already-"

"I don't care. Just grab a bloody broom," she cut in. Angie floated closer on her own, handing him one of the Hogwarts brooms.

"This one doesn't veer off on its own, promise," she whispered to him before floating away. By now his heart was practically beating out of his chest. He knew that he could no longer hide the truth. Bracing himself, he swung a trembling leg over the broomstick, holding tightly, and pushed off.

The broom replied with gusto and shot straight up like a rocket. James screamed, wanting nothing but to desperately get back on the ground. He clutched the wooden handle, laying as flat on the broom as he could. The broom jerked to the left, then to the right before it dipped into a barrel roll. It dived uncontrollably to the ground, about to crash into the dirt. James shut his eyes tightly, his body tensed for what was to come.

"ARRESTO MOMENTUM!" The broom stopped in mid air, a foot from the ground. James still clung desperately to the broom, his cheek flat against the wood and his eyes shut tight. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder. "James, you can get off now," a familiar voice said. It was his father.

The students were whispering in hushed tones around him, and his heart sank into his stomach. His cheeks were turning red at the humiliation of not only being unable to fly, but to have his dad come and save him. He opened his eyes, gingerly getting of the broom. He stared at the grass by his feet, feeling the enormous pressure of having everyone staring at him. He didn't want to meet their gaze, knowing for sure it would only serve to humiliate him further.

"Professor Macmillan, was it? I'd like to take my son out of flying class if that's alright with you," Harry said, using his I-Don't-Care-If-You-Say-No voice.

"I'll have to speak to the headmistress about this," Professor Macmillan responded gruffly. Out of the corner of James' eyes he could see the broom floating over to her. No doubt she was going to inspect the broom very thoroughly. After all, his parents were superb broom flyers, it must be the broom's fault.

"Of course," his father agreed, putting a hand on James' shoulder. "Let's go James." His father's forceful nudge directed James away from the snickering students. James refused to look up, allowing his father to guide him through the courtyard.

""Quiet! Another word and you'll be serving detention!" he heard Professor Macmillan snapped. "Now get on your brooms! You sniveling lot can't even get three feet off the ground even if a dragon were on your tail!"

Once they were inside the halls, James shrugged Harry's hand from his shoulder. "Are you alright?" Harry asked. James didn't answer him out of rage. He was so angry and humiliated by the entire thing. "I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner."

"You didn't have to be there!" James snapped at him. "I was perfectly fine on my own!"

"Oh?"

"Shut up! Go away! I don't want to see you right now!" James stomped further ahead, his hands balled into tight, angry fists. He knew it really wasn't his dad's fault, but that made him even more angry.

"I wasn't there to embarrass you," Harry said softly. "I was just trying to help."

"Yeah? Well go help someone else! That's what you do, right?" James retorted fiercely.

"Don't talk to me like that." Harry's tone was becoming serious.

"You can do whatever you want, because you're the great Harry Potter!"

"That's enough James!"

"In fact, why don't we all bow down to your greatness!"

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!" His father grabbed both of his shoulders, staring James right in the eyes. "You will stop this. Right now." James' eyes stung as he tried to fight back the tears. He didn't know why he was saying those things, or why he was so angry at his father, who had done nothing but save him from falling off his broom. His father heaved a sigh at James' stony silence, bending down so that they were at eye level. "Sorry. What's eating you up son? Why are you so angry at me?"

"You haven't told me anything dad," James muttered through his tears. "You and mum. You quit the Ministry and you didn't even tell me." Harry hung his head with exasperation.

"Is that it? James, I haven't quit the Ministry."

"Then why are you here? I don't know anything!" James yelled at him. Harry pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away Jame's tears.

"I'm here to keep you safe," he said. He handed the handkerchief to James so he could blow his nose. "There's a lot going on right now, and McGonagall has asked me to stay and help out."

"What do you mean it's not safe? What aren't you telling me dad?"

"I wish I could tell you, son," he replied softly, wrapping James in his arms. "But I can't. It's too dangerous right now." James squirmed out of his father's embrace, throwing the handkerchief on the floor.

"Fine! I'll figure it out by myself!" He bolted down the corridor before Harry could say anything, wiping his eyes with his cloak sleeve. The bells began to ring, signaling the end of class, but he didn't care. Trudging up the steps, he made his way to the Gryffindor Tower.

The portrait of the Fat Lady bore down on him as he approached. "Dinglebat," James muttered as he stared at the ground. The Fat Lady looked down at him over her unfurled fan.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" she asked accusingly.

"Forgot my books," he lied. Satisfied, she opened the portrait door for him. He passed through the common room, where a few of the sixth and seventh years were goofing around, and climbed the stairway to the boy's dormitory. Finally having reached his bed, he curled into a ball and began to cry.

* * *

Harry ran his hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh as he opened the door to the office McGonagall had given him. He had lightly furnished it with a few of the magical objects he had collected, including the first Foe-Glass he had seen during his fourth year at Hogwarts. On his desk were a multitude of papers sent to him via owl from the Ministry to deal with his current absence at the Auror's Office, as well as a portrait of his family and his deceased parents.

Sighing again, he sat down at his desk and opened the top drawer, pulling out the Marauder's Map. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he said, tapping the parchment with his wand. Dark ink curled elegantly across the blank paper until it created a map of the entire school. Harry's eyes immediately shifted across the lines until he found his son in the Gryffindor Tower. His eyes grew soft as he watched James' name pass through the common room to the dormitories.

He heard a knock at his door, so he quickly muttered, "Mischief managed." The ink scattered across the parchment until there was nothing left. "Come in," he said loudly, shuffling the papers along with the map so he could stuff them into a drawer. Shuichi opened the door.

"I hope I'm not bothering you," he said politely. Harry managed to offer a half smile.

"Don't worry about it. Just shut the door behind you," he said. He waved his wand, and an old worn-out chair sitting against the wall dragged itself to the middle of the room.

"I'll admit, magic seems to be a very useful tool," Shuichi said as he sat down gracefully, his presence making the chair look vintage and beautiful. Harry could tell that even the ugliest thing would shine like gold next to him, but he pushed these thoughts from his mind, focusing on the task at hand.

"How are you adjusting?" he asked, making polite conversation. "Have you had interactions with magic before?"

"I have, on occasion," Shuichi replied. "As a demon working for Koenma, I've had my fair share of handling witches or wizards who happen to discover our existence." Harry felt it ironic that the wizarding world was being treated much like they treated Muggles. "Coming here has been an enlightening experience, since I've never had the chance to work alongside them before."

"I see. Well, let's get started then. Show me what you know." Shuichi performed an array of spells with ease, showing a basic knowledge of at least a year's worth of learning in Hogwarts. Harry was amazed to see him recite the spells perfectly as he levitated and transfigured various objects in the room. When he was done, he lowered his wand with a smile.

"How did I do?" he asked.

"When did you have the time to learn all of this?" Harry asked incredulously. Shuichi paused to think about it.

"Once we landed in London, Minerva had been gracious enough to give us a tour of Diagon Alley, where I purchased a few textbooks for reading during my off periods."

"So all of this has been self-taught?"

"Essentially." Harry sat back in his chair in amazement. If this kid had been a student at Hogwarts, he would've easily graduated in a few short years.

"I don't even know if I'm the right person to teach you anymore," Harry said thoughtfully. "I mean, your transfiguration and charms are just brilliant."

"Thank you," Shuichi said, "but those aren't the subjects I'm having trouble with." Harry looked at him with a raised brow. He actually wasn't good at something? "I can cast all sorts of charms, jinxes, or curses, but I cannot perform a single counter-spell. I cannot protect myself in a duel of magic."

"That is a problem," Harry said seriously. Looking around, he settled on a chest he had yet to unpack. "Do you know the spell Alohomora?"

"I do." Harry turned his wand to his chest, muttering the spell to lock it.

"Try using it now on this chest." Shuichi turned his attention to the chest. Raising his wand, he spoke the counter-spell.

"Alohomora." The chest exploded with a loud BANG, sending pieces of wood flying across the office. Harry ducked his head to protect himself from the force, but he found to his surprise that he remained untouched. Looking up, he saw Shuichi standing above him with an apologetic smile. Behind him was a towering wall of green vines that were shrinking into his red hair. "I'm sorry, I thought you should see first hand how troublesome this is." Harry couldn't stop staring at the vines, which were reduced to nothing more than seeds that clattered onto the floor. Shuichi stepped back and bent down to pick them up. "Did I startle you?"

"What the hell did you do?" he managed to choke out. Shuichi looked down at the chest, which had not survived the ordeal.

"Whenever I attempt to perform a counter-spell, it ends up backfiring and exploding in my face," he said quietly. Harry sat up in his seat again, his body shaking. It wasn't the explosion that had him scared, it was the fact that Shuichi had gotten so close in mere seconds, even managing to protect him with a wall of plants. If he was capable of this, then why even bother learning magic? "I'm sorry about your chest, I'll make sure to replace it," Shuichi said earnestly.

"You... were prepared for it. You even managed to protect me," Harry said slowly. He looked up at Shuichi, feeling afraid for the first time in many, many years. Shuichi watched him calmly, his green eyes reflecting no emotion. "What are you?" Shuichi didn't say anything for a moment.

"I'm a demon, Harry," he replied quietly. Harry's hands were shaking uncontrollably. Angry with himself for being paralyzed with fear, he clenched them into fists to try and move. Shuichi was dangerous, and he was a threat to everything that Harry was trying to protect. "I understand that this must be difficult for you. We'll end the lesson here," Shuichi said, turning away from him. He muttered a few charms to organize the chaos that he caused, save for the chest that was damaged beyond repair. Harry hung his head, saying nothing as objects floated by him. When he was finished, Shuichi opened the door, looking back at him.

"I want you to know it's alright to decide to discontinue our lessons. Good day, Mr. Potter." The door was shut firmly behind him, leaving Harry to his own, silent rage.

* * *

Having fallen asleep in his bed, James awoke to his roommates clambering into the room. When they noticed him on the bed, their loud voices became hushed whispers. Annoyed, James turned over, pulling the covers over his head. He didn't want to see anyone at the moment. He could faintly hear the boys tip toe around the room, grabbing anything they needed. Suddenly their whispers turned into hurried warnings, and James felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

"Uh, James," one of the boys said meekly, "they're serving dinner now, and you really don't want to miss it, cuz if you do, you won't get to eat till breakfast."

"Idiot, what is he doing?!" one of the other boys muttered. Angered by this, James shot up from bed, startling the kind boy next to him who toppled over onto another bed. He looked up at James with wide eyes.

"What's your name?" James asked. The boy gulped.

"Nathan Shimpling." James gave him a wide grin.

"Cool. Thanks for waking me up, Nathan." Nathan gave him a weak smile as the other boys across the hall began to grumble.

"Shrimp, we're gonna be late!" one of them shouted angrily, grabbing Nathan by the collar of his vest to hoist him up.

"Oh ok, sorry," Nathan replied quietly. He followed after the group of boys who roughly shoved him forward. "See you around, James."

"Yeah, you too." James watched them go, wondering if Nathan was gonna be ok. With new vigor, he climbed out of bed, quickly trying to flatten his unruly hair (to no avail) before dashing down the stairwell, following them carefully.

"I bet he was crying that whole time. Can you believe that he can't even fly!?"

"What a loser."

"He shouldn't be in Gryffindor, he's such a coward."

"Help me, help me!" The boys were laughing loudly, not caring who heard them.

"Not everyone can fly," Nathan spoke up in his defense.

"His parents are bloody Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley! With genes like that you _have_ to be able to fly." James felt the familiar sting in his heart, knowing that what they said was true. His younger siblings Albus and Lily were naturals at it, and he was the only one in the entire family unable to ride a broom. The bitterness he felt inside him was growing again, and he lowered his head in shame.

"Hey!" He bumped into someone else, falling backwards onto the floor. "Oh, there you are!" Looking up, he saw Gaby looking down at him with her hand extended. "Sorry, didn't mean to run you over." He took her hand and she helped him up. "Where were you? You missed two classes today."

"Sorry, I was with my dad." The thought of his dad brought back the memories of his horrendous flying experience, to which Gaby was witness. Feeling embarrassed again, he tried averting her gaze.

"Oh, that's ok. I took notes. Here's your copy," she said, handing him some parchment. James looked down at the notes, admiring how neatly they were done.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "You didn't have to."

"It's alright, I was writing notes for Angie anyway. She always falls asleep." James folded the notes to fit in his cloak pocket. "Are you headed to the Great Hall? Angie's there waiting for me."

"Yeah, I'll come." Together they walked to the Great Hall, chatting about the classes they had taken. Gaby was particularly careful not to talk about Flying, to which James was thankful. By the time they passed through the Great Hall's doorways, James had completely forgotten about his worries.

"Yo, over here!" Angie called, waving her arms wildly. Gaby and James sat on either side, admiring the exorbitant amount of food placed before them. Angie had already started tearing into the chicken, and James noticed her plate consisted of nothing but meat. Meanwhile, Gaby was delicately selecting vegetables from the surrounding dishes.

"You guys are really different, huh?" James asked, eying them both.

"I guess so," Gaby mused thoughtfully. "I don't know, I've never really thought about it."

"We are definitely different," Angie confirmed. "I mean, look at your plate! All you have on there are vegetables. How do you live!?"

"But vegetables are really good!" Gaby argued. "And it's not like I don't eat meat at all, I have chicken on my plate. You don't even have a single vegetable!"

"What can I say? I'm a carnivore."

"You should really eat vegetables, they're good for you!" Gaby exclaimed, trying to put the greens on her sister's plate. Angie would have none of it, however, and deftly grabbed her plate to move it aside.

"Never." James felt stuck in between them as they locked eyes, determined not to lose. He tried to lean back out of the way without drawing attention, but Gaby was quick to notice.

"James! You think veggies are good, right?" she asked, pulling him into the fight. Both of the twins looked at him expectantly, believing that their answer was right. He looked from one twin to another, then finally replied.

"I like meat more," he admitted, "sorry Gaby." Angie cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

"And carnivores win again!" she cried out, shoveling all sorts of different meats onto James' plate. Gaby sighed in defeat, poking her vegetables dejectedly.

"They just don't understand you, do they?" she said to her vegetables.

"I'm sure, Miss Wadsworth," a soft voice said from behind, "if the vegetables had feelings they would most certainly appreciate your affection." The three students turned in their seats to look up at Professor Minamino, who smiled down at them.

"Thanks, professor," Gaby replied. Angie didn't respond as she munched on her meat, careful not to make eye contact.

"Meat is also an important part of your diet though, so make sure to eat enough of both," he added while glancing at Angie. She froze up, embarrassed that she had been caught sulking. Then, his eyes glanced down at James, who swallowed uncomfortably. "You're Mr. Potter, aren't you?" James nodded in response. "I didn't see you in class today. Skipping on your very first day?" he asked with a small chuckle.

"Sorry professor, I was with my dad," James lied. Minamino gave him a knowing smile, and bent low so only James could hear.

"Seeing as I was with your father before class began, I believe its safe to assume you were elsewhere?" James became nervous, and he glanced pleadingly at the professor, who continued to smile. "Don't worry, I'll let it slide today, seeing as you've had some troubles yourself." Did he mean the Flying lesson? But how did he hear about it? Standing back up, Minamino said more loudly, "Now eat up, and don't forget about your homework. Miss Wadsworth, would you be so kind as to assist Mr. Potter tonight?"

"Yes, professor," Gaby said to him as he walked away. James watched him walk towards the High Table, where the faculty sit to eat.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"You weren't in Herbology class earlier. That's Professor Minamino," Gaby informed him.

"He's Japanese," Angie added, "which is kinda cool."

"But my father told me Neville Longbottom was going to be the Herbology professor," James said quizzically, still watching the professor. "He looks... really young."

"Right? He says he's 18, but I'm pretty sure he's only 16," Angie commented.

"He couldn't possibly be 16! Professor McGonagall wouldn't allow it," Gaby objected.

"He seems pretty good at what he does though."

"True." James watched as another Asian boy covered in mud sat beside the professor, who inched his chair a few inches away to avoid the mess.

"That's Urameshi, the new Gamekeeper," Gaby said, noticing James' interest.

"You're a what?" James repeated, trying to understand what Gaby said.

"No, U-ra-me-shi," Angie corrected. "He's Japanese too." Munching on his food, James thought about all the new changes in the school, and if it had anything to do with why his dad was here at Hogwarts.

"Hey, have you guys heard of anything strange happening?" James asked.

"What do you mean?" Angie asked.

"I dunno, anything out of the ordinary." The twins looked at each other.

"Not really," Angie said slowly. "What do you think, Gaby?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a little weird," Gaby thought aloud. "That was another class you missed. Professor Periwinkle was telling us about demons."

"Demons? You mean like Nogtails?"

"I think so? I dunno, it was a really confusing lecture. You can look at the notes, I wrote down everything, even if it didn't make much sense." James pushed his empty plate forward, opening Gaby's notes in front of him. He flipped through the notes on Herbology, where Gaby had meticulously drawn all of the different plant types, until he found the DADA notes.

_Demons: beast or being? _

_ M.O.M. classification: XXXXX (very dangerous)_

_ Further classification: E, D, C, B, A, and S (E is lowest)_

_ Manipulates demon energy (I don't know what this means)_

_ Many different kinds_

_ A very dark creature known to be wicked, cruel, and thirst for human flesh (ew)_

James folded the notes to put them back in his pocket. "Thanks for the notes Gaby," he said, rising from his seat.

"Where are going?" she asked him.

"The library. I want to know more about demons."


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! Apologies for the late update, I spent my day in SF at the Cherry Blossom Festival. :3 To _Forsaken Destiny, Forsaken Fate_, thank you for adding me to your community! I hope to continue working hard on this story as we go. Also, thank you again to _The Fire and The Ice_ for your review! I'm glad to see you're enjoying it.

As always, if you have the time to spare lease leave a review! Any feedback would be great, and it will help to propel the story further.

* * *

"Hey Kurama," Yusuke said with a grin, sitting beside the fox demon. Kurama glanced at his mud covered friend with hesitation, inching away slightly to keep his food clean. "Oh, this looks amazing!" Yusuke grabbed everything he could, piling everything onto his plate.

"Your translation charm wore off," he noted, speaking in Japanese. "And why are you covered in mud?"

"Eh? Oh, I was helping Hagrid," he said as he stuffed a chicken leg in his mouth. "He wanted a dumb-something for his next class, and the only way you can find the stupid things is to trudge through the swamps and flip over every log you see."

"And you didn't think of taking a shower before coming here?"

"I'm starving! Why the hell would I bother waiting?"he complained. Kurama laughed.

"That's very like you, Yusuke."

"How're the magic lessons going with Pops?"

"Pops? You mean Harry?" Yusuke nodded. Kurama looked down at his plate, concerned. "I've only had one lesson, and all I've managed to do is scare him."

"Whadd'ya mean?"

"It looks like he isn't ready to accept a demon's help just yet."

"Aw, well give it some time. It's not like I warmed up to you right away, you know." Kurama gave him a weak smile.

"True. But here, I don't have my mother's help to convince him."

"Yeah, if it weren't for your mom I probably wouldn't have believed you." Kurama looked down at Yusuke's plate, which was suddenly very empty. "Time for seconds!" he said gleefully, pouring more onto his plate. The charms professor, Filius Flitwick, looked at him with a face of horror. Kurama gave the professor an apologetic smile, nudging Yusuke sharply with his elbow. "Yeah I know," the boy grumbled, setting down his already-filled plate.

"By the way, shouldn't Kuwabara be arriving by now?" Yusuke paused in mid bite.

"Oh yeah, guess that numbskull should be showing up sometime soon."

* * *

James wandered through the corridors, lost beyond all hope. There wasn't a single student in the hallway to ask for directions, and through the small windows overlooking the castle courtyard he could see the sun was beginning to set. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he marched around the corner, colliding into another person and falling on his back. "Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!" he said angrily, looking up with his fierce eyes. The man he bumped into was extremely tall with bright orange hair that puffed out in front of his forehead. He wore simple street clothes that looked nothing like wizarding robes, and his small bead-like eyes looked down at him from beneath slanted lids. Another Asian. Why were there so many of them here in Britain?

He bent down, offering James a large hand for assistance, who took it hesitantly. "Uh, soree," he said through a thick accent, lifting James easily from the ground. James grumbled, brushing off his robes.

"It's ok," he said, feeling overwhelmed by the man's height.

"Um, ehh, hedo mastah you noo?" he asked through broken English.

"What?"

"Hedo mastah," he repeated, as if it would help. When James didn't respond, he growled angrily, shuffling through his pockets. "Doko eh, sono peipa..." Finally, he found what he was looking for, and handed it to James. On the right side were strange symbols that James had never seen before, and to the left were assorted English phrases. The man pointed to one of them, and James read it aloud.

"Where is?" The man nodded excitedly.

"Hedo mastah where is!" That's when it clicked.

"Oh, you're looking for the headmaster?"

"Yes! Hedo mastah where is!" James couldn't tell if he had actually understood, but the man seemed excited enough to think he was right.

"Um, actually I'm lost too, so I don't know," he admitted apologetically. The man stopped dancing, cocking his head to the side.

"Dount noo?"

"Sorry." The man hung his head in despair, then suddenly raised it up to shout angrily.

"Ahhh mou! Akirameta! Zettai ni akirametaaaa!" James felt threatened by this large man who he couldn't understand. "Urameshi, baka yarou... Utsu tsumorida!" he continued to shout, until he finally lost his drive and leaned against the wall. Unsure of what to do next, he began to slowly walk away. But the man suddenly reached for his robes, gripping tightly. He looked up at James with pleading eyes. "Puhreese?" he begged. James could only guess that he didn't want to be alone, but neither did James want to be with the strange man any longer.

"Um, no, I have to go..." he said as he tried to pry open the man's fingers.

"Puhreeeese? Tasuketekure!" The man was practically sobbing. James thought to himself how pathetic he looked, begging an eleven-year old. Feeling sorry for the man, he sighed and nodded his head.

"Fine, you can come with me," he grumbled, yanking his robes away. The man smiled again.

"Sankyuu! Sankyuu!" Was that supposed to be thank you? James didn't care anymore. He just wanted to find someone to dump him on fast. "Oh, mai namu is Kuwabara."

"I'm James." Kuwabara gave him a goofy grin.

"Nais too meet you." This guy's English was horrible, and James couldn't help but sigh again in annoyance.

"Let's just go." They traveled through the halls together, and for the most part Kuwabara was silent as he observed everything. The moving paintings scared him, making James believe that he must have been a Muggle before coming to Hogwarts. Certainly there wasn't anything magical about him, and to that point James hadn't seen a wand on his persons. As they passed through a particularly corridor crowded with paintings, Kuwabara had somehow shrunk behind James as he cowered fearfully, muttering to himself in Japanese. Leading a man so large and intimidating felt good for James, and he walked through the portraits with an air of confidence.

For a good hour the two of them continued walking through corridors, stairways, and halls, and James swore to himself that he would get a map the next time he ever wanted to go anywhere in the castle. By now, the sun had completely set, and torches lit themselves as they walked by. Kuwabara jumped at this, crying out in fear before hiding behind James.

"It's fine, they're supposed to do that," James said reassuringly, patting Kuwabara's puffy hair. Kuwabara was shivering, and his teeth cackled loudly. James suddenly laughed, finding the entire situation extremely funny. Kuwabara glared at him, his teeth still chattering.

"Damare!" he shouted angrily, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. James couldn't stop laughing, and he was holding his sides from the pain. Kuwabara cursed at him some more, which James couldn't understand. Then, from behind him a pale figure rose from the floor, floating absentmindedly. Upon closer inspection, James recognized it as Nearly Headless Nick.

"Nick!" he called out, raising his arm to grab the ghost's attention. Nick turned around with a look of surprise.

"Why, if it isn't James Potter!" he exclaimed. Kuwabara turned around, and all the color drained from his face. His entire body shook with fear.

"G-G-GOOOSUTOOOO!" he screamed, and before James could even see him move he was gone, leaving nothing but a trail of dust. Both James and Nick were shocked beyond words as they stared down the hallway.

"What got into him?" Nick asked incredulously. James turned back to the ghost with a smile.

"I think he's a Muggle, and he's not used to the Wizarding just world yet."

"Ah, that would do it," Nick commented lightly. "Still, that was very rude of him to run off like that." James nodded. "Right! Curfew is about to begin James, and you need to be in bed soon. What are you doing all the way here in the West Wing?"

"I got lost trying to find the library," James admitted sheepishly. "Could you help me find my way back?"

"Certainly! It would be my pleasure. But what about the other boy?"

"Oh, well I think if we tell Professor McGonagall, she'll know what to do."

"Right you are. Then let's first stop at the Headmistress' office."

"Thanks." Nick led James through a series of hallways, and it wasn't long until James began to recognize where he was. "Wow Nick, you really know you're way around."

"Well, when I haven't got much to do I find that roaming the castle produces surprising rewards," the ghost said cheerfully. "But you do have to be careful not to get lost."

"I think I've learned that now." They stopped in front of a large, menacing stone gargoyle, who peered suspiciously at James with a furrowed brow.

"I'll let the Headmistress know you're here," Nick said, and with that he floated up through the wall and disappeared. In a few moments the gargoyle stepped aside, revealing a winding staircase in which McGonagall stepped lightly down from.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Potter?" she asked.

"I'm sorry to bother you professor, but there's an Asian man who's lost in the castle. I think he's a Muggle, and he ran off before I could help him." James saw McGonagall's brow twitch in annoyance.

"I see. Well thank Mr. Potter for notifying me. You may go." James nodded and began to walk away before he turned.

"Oh, his name is Kuwabara, and he's a huge chicken. He might run off before you can say anything."

"I'll keep that in mind. Good night, Mr. Potter." Satisfied that he had done all he could, James returned to the Gryffindor Tower, where he found Angie and Gaby waiting for him in the common room. Angie was first to notice him stepping through the portrait, nudging Gaby.

"James, you're back!" Gaby exclaimed, waving him over to the velvet couch in front of the fire. James slumped into the chair beside them, moaning in exhaustion.

"I'm so tired," he said, suddenly feeling very sore.

"What did you find in the library?" Angie asked curiously. James raised his head to look at them with a frustrated expression.

"I didn't even make it to the library! I got lost and ran into some Asian guy who couldn't speak any English. He was a Muggle too, and was scared of everything," he complained.

"You got lost?" Angie teased, pointing at him while laughing. "Are you directionally challenged?"

"Shut it!"

"So there's another Japanese person here, and he's a Muggle?" Gaby said. "That makes it... three new Japanese people. Isn't that a bit strange?" Her comment caught James' attention.

"You're right. It must have something to do with my dad being here at Hogwarts," he commented slowly.

"You mean he didn't get sacked at the Ministry?" James threw a pillow at Angie halfheartedly, who ducked with a snicker.

"No, he didn't. Anyway, I think there's something weird going on with these Japanese people." He suddenly crouched forward, leaning in close to the twins. "I think," he whispered quietly, "they might be _demons_."

"What!?" Gaby shrieked, and Angie covered her mouth to keep her quiet.

"Shh!"

"Sorry. But that can't be true! Why would demons be in Hogwarts?"

"I don't know," James said quietly. "But I'm going to find out."

"It's weird, don't you think McGonagall would know about it? I mean, demons eat humans," Angie added thoughtfully.

"You were paying attention?" Gaby said incredulously.

"I can if I want to!" Angie said accusingly. "I guess we'll have to wait until students start disappearing to find out." The thought suddenly made the three very nervous.

"Don't even joke about that, what if it's us?" Gaby moaned quietly.

"It won't be, I'll make sure of it," James said confidently. "What ever happens, we're going to stick together, ok?" Angie nodded while Gaby let out a nervous sigh. "Besides, my dad is here to protect us. We'll be fine."

"I hope so," Gaby replied worriedly.

"Oh, and don't tell anyone," James added. "We have to make sure they don't find out we know what they are."

"Honestly, who'd believe us?" Angie scoffed. "Hey guess what? Minamino's a demon!"

"Don't say anything!" James scolded. "I'm serious!"

"Alright, sure, I won't tell anyone," Angie mumbled. "Promise."

"Look, we still don't know if they're demons!" Gaby persisted. "We need to find out more about them."

"Tomorrow, we'll go to the library and see what we can find."

"If we don't get lost, you mean," Angie muttered with a grin. James threw another pillow at her, which she blocked with the previous pillow. "I'm kidding! Geez, it was just a joke." The three of them settled on a time to go during lunch before bidding each other goodnight. James watched wistfully as the twins climbed up the staircase leading towards the Girl's Dormitory. He didn't particularly want to go back to his bed, where his roommates would no doubt poke fun at him behind his back.

When he reached his room, however, the only person there was Nathan, who was busy with his homework. Parchment papers and quills littered his bed as the small boy stared hard at his textbook. He pushed his shaggy blonde hair out of his face, trying to focus. "What're you working on, Nathan?" The boy's head shot up in surprise, his hand still keeping his hair up.

"Hey there," he said with a grin. "I'm trying to do my Herbology homework, but I don't remember what any of the plants looked liked."

"Would this help?" James asked, pulling out Gaby's notes. "A friend of mine made me a copy, since I wasn't in class." Nathans eyes widened as he grabbed the papers, scanning them quickly.

"This is perfect! Thanks a lot. Do you want to work on it together? Since you weren't in class, it'll be harder for you to figure it out."

"Sure, thanks." Nathan scooted over on his bed, pushing the loose papers onto the floor to make room for James. The two of them went over the notes together, and while Nathan wasn't the best person at explaining, James felt pretty confident he understood the homework. As they were busy writing down the traits and qualities of Venomous Tentacula, James looked up from his papers. "By the way, thanks for sticking up for me."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked quizzically.

"I followed you guys down the stairwell," James confessed. "And I heard your conversation."

"Oh," Nathan said, feeling sheepish. "It was nothing, really."

"Well, I wanted to say thanks anyway. It's hard being a Potter and not be able to ride a broom."

"No kidding." The two of them fell silent. "Well," Nathan added, "I'm not really good at it either. I hate that we have to take a class."

"Right!" James said suddenly, finally relieved to have someone who understood him. "I cant believe that its a requirement."

"It really should be canceled," Nathan said with a grin. Setting his quill and ink back on his nightstand, he lifted his homework and blew softly to dry it. "I think I'm done! How about you?"

"Me too," James said, showing off his parchment. "I finished it a while ago." Nathan frowned.

"Since when? Why didn't you tell me!"

"Sorry," James said while laughing. "You looked so into it I didn't want to bother you." James picked up his papers and moved over to his bed. "Thanks for the help Nathan, you really saved me."

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't have been able to do it without your notes," Nathan objected.

"They're not my notes, they're Gaby's."

"Gaby? You mean the twins from America?" Nathan asked, sitting up in his bed.

"Yeah, she really helped me out," James replied. "Mind if I turn on the stove?"

"Go ahead. What are they like?"

"They're very... fun, I guess. Angie is pretty laid back, and Gaby's really smart. They're not really alike at all."

"But they're twins, right? They must have-" Nathan was cut off as the door slammed open, revealing the other three boys who were their roommates. The biggest of them was standing in the front, his head very block-ish with a thick neck and short, shaved hair. He took his jacket off and threw it on his bed opposite to James before sitting down with a loud creak. The other two boys followed him, their beds on either side of his.

"Today was _really_ interesting, wasn't it guys?" he said with a smirk. James' eyes narrowed in contempt. He could already tell that he wouldn't like this guy. "I mean, Flying lesson was a riot." The other two boys snickered loudly, obviously meaning to be heard. Nathan coughed nervously, drawing unwanted attention to himself. "Hey, Shrimp! You think so too right?"

"Um, I guess so," Nathan replied, his voice wavering as he desperately tried to hide behind his book. The large boy grinned maliciously at James.

"You're James Potter, right?"

"Yeah," James muttered darkly. The boy extended a hand out to shake.

"My name's Donald Goldberg. These two are my buds, Wolfsfield and Higbee" James mustered all of his determination to shake his hand, if only for a brief moment. "I hope we can get along nicely." His words were commanding and rough.

"Likewise." No one spoke as the two of them sized each other up. In a fist fight, Goldberg was sure to win, but James wasn't going to let that stop him. He looked over at Nathan, who avoided eye contact. "Why do they call you Shrimp?"

"Well, my last name's Shimpling, so I guess..."

"It's cuz he's such a wuss," Goldberg cut in. "You should call him that too. He likes it, right Shrimp?" Nathan nodded behind his book.

"Yeah, it's a great name," he said quietly. James didn't feel so confident about it and spoke up.

"I think I'll stick to Nathan, if it's all the same to you." Goldberg's smile vanished.

"But it's not 'all the same' to me. Call him Shrimp."

"I don't want to," James reaffirmed, his voice starting to rise in volume. Goldberg sat up from his bed to approach him. Being a head taller than James, his large build towered over him.

"You'll call him Shrimp cuz I said so," he threatened, glaring down at him. Nathan squeaked and shifted away while James stood his ground, looking up at him.

"Why? You're not the boss of me. I can do what I want," he retorted angrily. Goldberg broke out into a cunning smile.

"Because you're a Potter? I heard about you from my parents. You guys think you own everything, and that wizards should bow down to your greatness." James felt his temper rising.

"It's not like that!" he shouted, remembering the fight with his dad. He had said the same thing, and now he realized how hurtful it sounded being directed at him.

"Wanna bet?" Goldberg taunted, shoving James' shoulder. "Come on, show me what you got!" James snapped and lunged at Goldberg, throwing a punch to his face. Goldberg dodged it quickly and punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Trying to recompose himself, James kicked him in the shins. He howled in pain, grabbing his leg and tripping over Nathan's bedpost. James jumped on top of him, punching him as best as he could. Wolfsfield and Higbee grabbed each of his arms from behind and threw him off. They began pummeling James with everything they had while Goldberg stood up, wiping the dirt from his face. Somehow in the confusion Nathan had disappeared. "Where did the little Shrimp go!"

There was a loud BANG as all of their windows burst open on their own. Shocked, Wolfsfield and Higbee stopped punching, and James found his chance to wiggle out from underneath them. He darted towards the door before anyone could catch him, running down the stairwell. He looked back to see if they were chasing him, causing him to bump into Professor Macmillan on her way up.

"What's going on!?" she barked at him angrily. James looked up at her wildly, trying to catch his breath. Goldberg and his lackeys soon caught up, but stopped as they saw Macmillan's intimidating stare. "I'm sure you have an explanation?" she inquired, her thin figure fearsome even in her nightgown. No one said anything. "Get back to your room. We'll speak about this tomorrow." The three boys turned around and trudged up the stairs in silence. James tried to crawl away, but she caught his collar in an instant, dragging him up. "Come with me, Potter." Timidly he followed her down the rest of the stairs, passing through the common room where he saw Nathan hiding behind a couch. James gave him a weak smile and a thumbs up to show he was ok. No doubt it was Nathan who had notified Macmillan about the fight. But he wasn't sure yet if that was good or bad.

Macmillan led James through the portrait entrance and down the flight of stairs to the first floor. As they walked, he started feeling the bruises from the fight and his body become sore. He poked them curiously, a bit proud of himself. He'd never been in a fight before. "Stop poking, you'll aggravate them," Macmillan grumbled, and James snapped his arms back to his side. She led him to the Hospital Wing, opening the doors for him to enter. "Pick whichever bed that's open. Madam Wainscott will make sure you're better in the morning. I'll also write a note excusing you from your first class."

"Um, professor," James spoke out, "what about Nathan? He's gonna get beat up if he's left in there alone with Goldberg." Macmillan stared at him blankly for a moment.

"I suppose I'll bring him down here too." She closed the door behind him. James turned towards the beds, walking down the rows until he found one away from the other sleeping patients. As he settled himself the door creaked open again, and Nathan's stick-like body was pushed through. He looked around fearfully as he clutched a bag to his chest.

"Over here," James called out to him in a whisper, waving his arms. Nathan spotted him instantly, scurrying over to him in a panic.

"Are you ok?" he asked in a hushed tone, his big blue eyes filled with worry. "It looked really bad, I didn't know what to do."

"I'm fine, don't worry so much," James said reassuringly. "You did the right thing." Nathan sat down in the bed beside him, still shaking slightly.

"Um, I brought your things," he said, handing James the bag. "Professor Macmillan had me collect them for tomorrow. I think I got everything." James rummaged through the bag, finding his wand, homework, class supplies, and even a spare uniform. Nathan's belongings were in there as well.

"Thanks." He set them aside and climbed into bed slowly. Before the bruises had only felt tingly. Now they were painful and sore, making lying down difficult. Nathan had also crawled into bed, silently staring up at the ceiling.

"Sorry," he said suddenly. "It's my fault you got hurt." James turned his head to look at him.

"It wasn't your fault. They were being stupid," he said forcefully. "You shouldn't have to put up with it, you know." He paused. "You stood up for me, so now we're even." Nathan smiled.

"Thanks James."

"Yeah, well, good night," James muttered, feeling embarrassed. He turned over to face away from Nathan, not wanting him to see his flushed face.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! Today's update is early to make up for last week's. :3 Originally this was going to be two short chapters, but I thought, ehh why not put them together. So now it's super long.

If you find the time please please please leave a review! I would love to hear from you all about how thigns are going, and if there is anything I need to improve/work on. Thank you, and enjoy! *bows*

The next morning they were woken by Madam Wainscott, who fussed over James like a mother hen. She patched him up nicely, curing the bruises and cuts with a few spells. It was a bit of a painful process which James bore through stubbornly as Nathan watched fearfully. "I can't believe you got in a fight on your first day!" Madam Wainscott admonished. "Now, report to Professor Macmillan's office, and no delaying!" They were ushered out of the Hospital Wing into the empty hallway. The first class was in session, and James was eternally grateful that he didn't have to attend History of Magic. However, he wasn't too keen on seeing Macmillan.

"Do you think we'll get in trouble?" Nathan asked.

"Nah, we didn't really do anything wrong. It should be Goldberg who gets in trouble." Nathan didn't look convinced. They reached Macmillan's office by the courtyard, and opening the doors they found Goldberg and his buddies already there. Scowling, James stepped up beside them, making sure to stand between them and Nathan. Professor Macmillan sat in her desk in front of them, looking down over her slightly hooked nose. She reminded James of a falcon he had once seen at a zoo with his parents.

"Thank you for joining us Mr. Potter, Mr. Shimpling. The three boys here have already told me their side of the story, now it's time to hear yours."

"Professor, they were bullying Nathan and calling him names, and I told them I didn't want to be a part of it," James said pleadingly. "Goldberg threatened me, so I punched him." He could hear Goldberg muttering curses under his breath.

"The five of you are in the same house, _my_ house, and you'll be together for the next seven years," Macmillan said harshly. "If this is how you're going to act on your very first week I can only imagine how it will affect your studies here at Hogwarts. Ten points will be deducted, Mr. Potter, for starting a fight on your very first day." Goldberg sneered at James in victory. "Don't think you're off the hook so easily, Mr. Goldberg," Macmillan cut in sharply. "The four of you will be serving detention with Mr. Filch to make sure you get along nicely." James smirked back at Goldberg, who's face turned sour. "Report tonight straight after dinner to my office, and if you delay I will see to it you are given another day's worth of detention. You are dismissed." Goldberg and his crew grumbled as they pushed by James, glaring at him viciously. James glared back defiantly, shielding Nathan protectively. They waited for them to leave before heading towards the door when Macmillan called out to them. "If I may have a word with you, Mr. Potter, privately."

James looked up at Macmillan, feeling nervous. He looked to Nathan, who gave him a worried glance before exiting the office. Turning back to the professor, he kept his gaze lowered. "Look at me while I speak to you Mr. Potter. It's rude to look away." He raised his head in guilt, making eye contact with her. "I want to... apologize, for my harsh words in class yesterday," she said, surprising James. "I have spoken with your father and Professor McGonagall, and it has been agreed that you will not be taking flying lessons." James' heart soared as relief overwhelmed him.

"Thank you Professor Macmillan!" he said happily. Her thin lips formed a smile.

"You will not have a free period, however. Professor Minamino requires some assistance during his free period in tending the plants, and you will be under his care for the duration of the class." The fleeting moment of happiness was gone as his heart sank like a stone in water. He didn't want to be anywhere close to Minamino, who could possibly be a demon.

"Is there a possibility I could help another professor maybe?" James said with a nervous smile.

"He is the only professor available in that period," Macmillan said definitively. "You will either help him, or participate in Flying lessons." James swallowed what little saliva he had. "Your father has also been told not to interfere with your classes, so do not expect this to happen a second time."

"I'll help him," he responded dejectedly.

"Good. I'll be sure to let him know that you will be there today." The bells rang loudly, signaling the end of the first class. "You are dismissed." James bolted out of her office, thankful to finally be away from her strong gaze. He hurried to the dungeons for his next class, eager to tell the twins everything that had happened.

Upon his arrival, the first familiar face he saw was Goldberg sitting on the opposite side of the room. Carefully avoiding him, he scanned the stations until he found the twins sitting in the front. "Gaby! Angie!" he called out, sitting in the station behind them. Hearing his voice they whipped around curiously.

"What happened?"

"Where did you go?"

"Someone said you got in a fight!"

"Wait, wait!" I can only answer one at a time," James said, quieting the two. "Yeah, I got into a fight with some of my roommates last night, and I had to stay in the Hospital Wing-"

"The Hospital Wing?!" Gaby interjected. "Are you hurt? Did they break anything?"

"I'm not that fragile! It was just some cuts and bruises, nothing too serious."

"Bruises!?"

"Let the man speak!" Angie cried out. James felt a tug on his sleeves and looked up to see Nathan.

"Um, James, can I sit with you?" he asked.

"Yeah, go ahead. By the way, these are the twins, Gaby and Angie."

"Hey," Angie said with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you!" Gaby said cheerfully. Nathan nodded meekly to them both.

"I'm Nathan."

"He was one of my roommates," James informed them, "and he's the one who got the Professor."

"So you were there?" Angie asked. "What was it like?" Nathan opened his mouth to speak, but just then the door to the classroom burst open as Professor Etheridge strolled in. She was wearing fashionable robes with her brunette hair pinned up away from her face, and following her closely was a dark colored kneazle, who eyed the class suspiciously.

"Hello my dearies!" she said boisterously, dropping her things sloppily on her desk. "Yesterday we went over the ingredients and procedure to making the Sleeping Draught, I hope you took good notes! Today we'll be making it and you'll be testing it on each other. So, make sure to brew it correctly!" Her voice was cheerful and full of song as she said such crucial details, gleefully watching the students murmur worriedly amongst themselves. "Pull out those cauldrons and get to work!"

"I'll go get the ingredients," Nathan offered, standing up from his seat. James grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Let me get it," he insisted. Nathan didn't argue as he sat back down. Gaby also stood up, following him to the ingredients cabinet. "Gaby, I have something to tell you and Angie," he said quietly. "It's about Minamino. Meet me during break by the staircase."

"Okay," she said. "Is it serious?" James sighed, his face an expression of worry.

"I'll tell you later." They grabbed their ingredients and hurried over to their stations. James found out that Nathan was actually really good at potions, so he let him handle the measurements while he crushed the ingredients. Professor Etheridge peeked over their shoulders into their cauldron, which was bubbling lightly.

"Not bad," she commented. "Could use a bit more Lavender I think." The Kneazle sat across her shoulders, sniffing the air without a word. She then moved on to Gaby and Angie, when suddenly the creature sputtered.

"Disgusting! Horrible! You did it all wrong!"

"Dina, dear, be nice," Etheridge scolded lightly, tapping his nose. Dina grumbled, still muttering audibly. "But he's right, you know. You're going to have to restart your potion from scratch."

"I told you we should've put the mucus _after_ the paste!" Angie moaned.

"But my notes said to put it in first," Gaby replied, picking up the cauldron to dump its contents.

"You need to make sure your notes match the textbook, dear," Etheridge said sweetly before moving on to the next station. James looked around, noticing that some of the students were still having difficulty. When it came to the Slytherin students who shared the classroom, however, the professor was more than happy to slip in a few of her own tricks to guarantee their success.

Finally they finished putting in most of the ingredients, and all that was left was to allow it to brew. They cleaned their station, and with nothing to do they decided to help the twins re-start their potion. This time Angie had taken the lead, and together with Nathan they made the perfect potions team. James and Gaby took the time to step quietly out of the classroom, where they could talk in private.

"I don't have to go to Flying lessons anymore," James told Gaby, who applauded to show support.

"That's great! I wish I didn't have to take it."

"It's not all that great, though. Macmillan told me I have to help Minamino with the greenhouses," he sighed.

"You mean-!"

"Yeah, I'll be alone with him for an entire class. What should I do?"

"This is great!" Gaby exclaimed. James glared at her.

"How is this in anyway great? I could get eaten you know!"

"It's great because now you can spy on him," Gaby suggested. "Look, everyone's gonna know you're with him, so there's no way he's gonna eat you. This is the perfect opportunity to really see if he's a demon or not!" James realized she was right, but he still felt nervous about it.

"I guess it'll be a good idea. Just, make sure to tell the professors if I suddenly disappear," James asked, worry lining his voice. Gaby nodded.

"Of course." They returned inside the classroom, where Nathan waved them over.

"The professor's doing a lecture while we wait for it to brew," he told James, pulling out his textbook. James groaned, not looking forward to it at all. In front of them he saw Gaby whispering furiously to Angie, who then turned sharply in her seat to stare at James.

"Really?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah," James replied back, already knowing what she meant. She looked back at Gaby, who nodded gravely.

"Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Well I have to be, don't I? It's not like I have a choice," James whispered back. Nathan looked between the two of them.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." They both replied at the same time, and Angie turned back in her seat. James refused to look him in the eye, feeling awful that they were excluding him. But he knew that he was doing it to keep him safe, and to make sure no one found out that they knew.

* * *

James desperately wished lunch hadn't gone by so quickly now that he was staring at Minamino's door. The bell had rung minutes ago, yet he couldn't gather the courage to knock. But Angie and Gaby were counting on him to get through it, and if he had to risk his life for it so be it. He swallowed what little saliva he had in his mouth, but before he could even raise his hand a voice shouted out to him.

"JAMES!" He jerked away in shock, his heart jumping to his throat. He saw his father striding toward him purposefully, wand in his hand.

"Dad?"

"Get over here now!" Harry shouted, his voice almost breaking. James had never heard his father sound so angry, he was paralyzed. Harry strode quickly to his side, gripping James' shoulder fiercely. The door in front of him opened, and he shoved James protectively behind him. Professor Minamino was in the doorway. He looked down at James, then back up at Harry with a raised brow.

"Mr. Potter, what a pleasant surprise," he said smoothly, returning Harry's vicious glare with a calm demeanor. James could see his father struggling to contain himself.

"It seems there's been a misunderstanding, professor," Harry said through gritted teeth. "But my son will not be joining you on your free period."

"Your reasons may be compelling, however I cannot allow you to take James away for the period," Minamino replied. "You'll have to speak to Professor McGonagall, who I can only assume is unaware of our current situation."

_"What situation?"_ James thought to himself, trying to glimpse at Minamino from behind his father.

"He is my son, so I'll be the one who decides that," Harry said bitterly. "Come on, James."

"No dad," James suddenly said, moving away from Harry to stand apart from the two adults. "I'm not going with you." He didn't know what he was thinking. Having his father pull him away from class again would mean he didn't have to deal with Professor Minamino. But neither did he want to be controlled by his father. At this point he'd rather face a demon than be 'rescued by his daddy.'

Harry moved in closer, kneeling down to whisper in James' ear. "I can't let you be here alone with him," he said pleadingly. "It's too dangerous!"

"Why, because he's a demon?" James retorted hotly. Harry pulled back, stunned. "He's not going to eat me, dad, otherwise people would know about it!" His father was silent for a moment as he glanced towards Minamino, who was patiently leaning against the doorway.

"That's not what I'm worried about," he said warily. "Just... be careful. I'll have a word with McGonagall about this." He stood back up, facing Minamino with contempt. "I'll return shortly."

"Of course," Minamino replied, straightening up. He motioned towards the greenhouse door with a smile. "We have a lot of work to do." James took a deep breath and took his first steps forward. As the two of them walked away from Harry, Minamino placed a guiding hand on James' shoulder. It almost felt like it wasn't there. "I'm glad to have you joining me, Mr. Potter. We have a lot of work to do."

Helping the professor wasn't as scary as he had thought it would be. Most of the time Minamino had him watering the plants with a special can that had a sweet aroma. As he poured the water gently into their pots, the plants would shiver with delight. He couldn't help but feel fascinated by each of the plant's distinctive behaviors.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Minamino asked behind him. James whipped around, the water in his can sloshing around loudly. "Careful, I doubt you'll want to get that on your clothes. It may smell sweet now, but in an hour or so it'll eat through cloth."

"Um, sorry," he managed to squeak out, keeping the can well away from his robes. "What is it?" he asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"A personal blend of mine," Minamino replied vaguely. "One that Professor McGonagall might find unorthodox." He gave James a wink. "A secret between us, I hope?" James nodded vigorously, quickly moving on to the next plant. It was a Bouncing Bulb sprout that had just barely begun to wiggle around. As James brought the watering can close, it violently jumped forward, knocking James backwards into another pot. It smashed to the floor, and a piercing scream erupted from the baby mandrake root inside.

* * *

Harry was watching their every move silently from around the corner. He had no intention of going back to McGonagall and leaving his son in the care of a demon. He had his wand at the ready, making sure that he could cast a curse at any given moment. He could see his son holding the large watering can, pouring it onto the plants one by one. Shuichi was carefully handling the other plants, manipulating them with only his hands.

Harry couldn't help but marvel at his power. In a way, what he was doing was like wandless magic, and thus free of any material constraints. In a battle, if Harry were to drop his wand it would certainly be his last moment. But it wasn't so much his wandless magic that frightened Harry. No, what made him so dangerous was his intelligence. Harry had encountered many sentient beings, such as centaurs and mermaids, but never one so... _human-like_. It terrified him that they could take on their appearance and blend in with a crowd, learn his weaknesses, and use them against him.

Suddenly he heard the crashing of a pot, and the cry of the mandrake root flooded the greenhouses. Harry instinctively covered his ears just in time, avoiding a fainting spell. Through the clear panels of the greenhouse windows he could see James start to fall to the floor. Shuichi was quick, however, and caught him before he fell.

Still covering his ears, Harry began to feel dizzy and staggered from his hiding spot. Shuichi looked up to him, shouting something incoherent while pointing at James. When it was clear that Harry had his own problems to deal with, he sighed and placed James carefully onto the floor. He moved quickly to the plant, sweeping it up and holding it as if it were only a babe. Immediately the mandrake root quieted in his arms. Harry removed his hands from his ears, shaking off the dizziness he felt in his head. He managed to regain enough composure to step into the greenhouse, kneeling by his son.

"Is he going to be alright?" he asked breathlessly, unable to take his worried eyes away from James. Shuichi looked up from the root to give him a reassuring smile.

"It's only a baby, so yes, he'll be alright." Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he brushed the hair from his son's face. Shuichi picked up a spare pot from the counter and gently nudged the mandrake root inside. It cooed and gurgled sluggishly as he poured in the dirt. "I should have been more careful, and for that I apologize." Harry didn't say anything as he let his mind clear out the last of the mandrake root's effect. He lifted James' sleeping head onto his lap for better comfort. Shuichi finished potting the root and set it carefully away from the edge. He then sat down by Harry, looking down at James. His calm expression suddenly made Harry feel nervous. How comfortable was he with this? With death?

"Tell me more about demons," he managed to say. "I need to know whether I can trust you or not." Shuichi sighed as he stretched out on the floor, pushing his cloak out of the way.

"Demons are a tricky lot, especially those that are a higher rank. We can live for hundreds of years, that is if you aren't killed." He glanced towards Harry with a knowing look. "Your fear is justified, if that's what you're asking."

"That's not really helping your case, is it?" Harry retorted back. Shuichi chuckled.

"No, it isn't." A silence fell between the two. Harry was too busy looking down at James to notice Shuichi watching him. "Demons also do not have a family," he said suddenly. "We are born into a world that mercilessly devours the weak. If you do not become strong, you do not survive."

"Death is no stranger to you then," Harry said quietly.

"Nor you." Harry felt the all-too familiar sting of sorrow and regret. He had lost many good friends and loved ones in his life, some of which he still carried with him. Beside him Shuichi stood up, bringing him out of his own thoughts. "Come, I have a cot in my office to lay him on." Harry nodded, gently picking up his son in his arms.

In the overheated office, Harry set James down on the cot that Shuichi and pulled out from a closet. He draped his son's robe over him like a blanket, wiping the sweat from his brow. James was certainly getting heavier. "Will you take a seat, Harry?" Shuichi asked, motioning towards an empty chair. Harry refused the chair to sit beside his son on the cot as Shuichi offered him a cup of tea, which he also declined. He still didn't trust the demon well enough to take anything given to him. "I hope we can discuss what happened the other day," Shuichi said as he sat down in his chair. Harry's body stiffened as he recalled their last encounter.

"You never answered my question properly." Shuichi sipped at his tea thoughtfully. "Can I trust you?" The professor was silent for a moment, staring intently at Harry as he pondered the thoughts in his mind.

"Let me show you something." He pushed his chair back to reach into his drawer, pulling out a small photo. He handed it to Harry, who took it gingerly. It was a Muggle photo of a loving family. A mother, her husband, and their two sons were standing in front of their home with warm smiles. One of the sons was Shuichi, wearing a school uniform with what looked like a graduation ribbon.

"This is your family?"

"My human family, yes. Actually, this man here is my stepfather, and the young boy next to me is his son," Shuichi pointed out. "For a long time it was only my mother and I, and despite the fact she was raising a child who was superior to her, she loved me all the same." His voice was soft, something Harry wasn't accustomed to.

"You said demons don't have a family."

"That's right, we don't. But this woman, my mother, gave me a family to call my own. I would do anything for her sake." Harry could hear the tenderness and care that he used in his voice, and for once it sounded genuine. Looking back at the photo, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart. He was missing his home, his wife, and most of all his two other children. James rustled in his cot beside him, and Harry placed a loving hand on his head. He handed back the photo without a word, which Shuichi replaced carefully in his drawer.

"Look, I'm sorry things... haven't been working out," Harry said carefully. "I'm new to this demon thing, and I have a family I have to protect."

"I would be more than happy to educate you," Shuichi interjected. Harry gave him a stern look, to which Shuichi smiled playfully back. "You have nothing to fear from me or any of my friends here at Hogwarts. We're here to protect you."

"Well whatever it is you demons do, you're not hiding it very well. My son's already figured you out."

"You must be very proud." Harry couldn't keep himself from grinning.

"A bit." He sat up from the cot, extending a hand to Shuichi, who also stood up. "And I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to learn a counter curse or two," Harry mentioned casually. "I shall see you in my office tomorrow?"

"We shall see," Shuichi replied vaguely. They shook hands with warm regards, and Shuichi led Harry through the plants towards the door. Before saying goodbye, Harry turned abruptly to face him.

"Shuichi, how old are you exactly?" The fox demon grinned slyly.

"1,258 years old."

"1,25...! You know what, forget I even asked." Shuichi laughed softly to himself as he watched the wizard leave his office.

* * *

James couldn't remember much after hearing the cries of the mandrake root. He could faintly recall trying to cover his ears as stars washed over his eyes. All he knew was that when he woke up, he was in a very different place. Above his head were massive vines that wriggled and shifted at his presence. Sitting up abruptly, he glanced around what he could only guess was Minamino's office. A menagerie of plants were growing recklessly over what little furniture there was, almost making it unusable, and yet Minamino sat at his desk, grading papers as if they weren't there. He looked up at James with a smile.

"Ah, you're awake." James nodded, slowly bringing his legs over the cot he was sitting on.

"What happened?" James asked. His head was pounding like a drum and he felt sweaty from the unbearable heat of the room. He threw his cloak to the side.

"You tipped over a pot containing the mandrake root. Luckily for you it was only a baby. Class will be starting soon, so I suggest you get ready," Minamino said, looking at James with a raised brow. James looked down, and realized sheepishly that his uniform was untucked and wrinkled, and he didn't even want to imagine the state of his hair. Minamino laughed softly, handing James a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "Want some? I find them quite interesting myself." James eyed the box warily. The last time he was given a bean it tasted like dirty underwear. Minamino seemed to recognize his distress and delicately pulled a bright purple speckled bean. "Lavender, I promise."

"How do you know for sure?" James asked, slowly taking the bean from his hand. Minamino smiled.

"I don't." Deciding to throw caution to the wind, James tossed the bean expertly into his mouth. To his surprise, Minamino had been right, and the bean tasted like sweet lavender. In the distance he could faintly hear the bells ring, signaling the beginning of the next class. "When you're finished tidying up, you can join us in Greenhouse C." James abruptly stood up, shoving his shirt in his pants.

"I'll come with you professor, if you don't mind," he said hurriedly, eyeing the plants.

"Suit yourself." Minamino opened the door for him, and together they made their way back to the greenhouses. James could see Gaby and Angie standing at the front of the crowd, anxiously waiting. Gaby was the first to notice him and waved her arms excitedly. James looked up at Minamino, who nodded, and ran over to his friends.

"You're alive!" Gaby exclaimed happily.

"Weren't you the one who said it'd be safe?" Angie asked critically.

"Yeah, well still I was worried," her sister replied back sheepishly. "What was it like? Did you learn anything new?"

"Actually, it was kind of boring," James said with a frown. "All he had me do was water plants. Oh, but I tipped over a mandrake pot by accident and knocked out."

"Mandrake? What's that?"

"How should I know?"

"Alright class!" Everyone's voices lowered to a hush as all eyes were on Professor Minamino. "Please retrieve your dragonhide gloves and pair up, we've got lots to do!" Before James could say anything, Angie and Gaby had already paired up, so he looked around to find someone else. He spotted Nathan in the far corner and waved him over.

"Hey James," he said with a grin. "Wanna pair up?"

"I was thinking the same thing," James replied back, pulling out his supplies from his pack. Professor Minamino stood at the front of the table, and as everyone finally settled down he began his lesson.

* * *

Once classes were over, James grudgingly made his way to Professor Macmillan's office. Goldberg was walking next to him, but the two never exchanged words. Occasionally they would glance at each other venomously, blaming the other for their own misfortune. Filch was waiting for them by the door in his wheelchair. James remembered all the stories his father had told him about the crockety old man, and one look told him they were all true. His eyes were bulging out from his shrunken, wrinkly face like a fly, and what little white hair he had left was awkwardly combed back away from his face. In his lap sat Mrs. Norris, who seemed as ancient as her master. James wondered how the man was still employed at Hogwarts.

"You're Potter's boy eh? You're all trouble, the lot of ya," Filch muttered. His voice was like sandpaper grating against a stone. "Yes, we'll be putting you to good work." He swerved deftly in his wheelchair, forcing himself roughly towards the door handle to open it. He struggled to reach for the knob with his bone-like fingers, and when he finally managed to grasp it pushed with all his might. The door didn't budge. "Blasted thing!" he cursed, continuing to push. Suddenly it swung out, knocking him back as his chair rolled away from the force. Professor Macmillan stood on the other side, her expression showing distaste.

"Argus, you pull it open," she hissed angrily. Looking up at James and Goldberg over her reading glasses, she waved them in. Filch muttered under his breath as he positioned himself. "They'll be with you in a moment, I need to speak with them first." Shutting the door behind her, she turned to face the two boys. "I've decided to separate the three of you. James, you and Nathan will be moving to another dorm. Similarly, Donald, you will be receiving two new roommates." She glared at them visciously, as if daring them to misbehave again. "You'll get along this time, understood?"

"Yes professor," the two of them mumbled.

"Good. You'll be serving detention with Mr. Filch in polishing the Trophy Room. Without magic." James inwardly groaned, and looking to his left he could see Goldberg had a similar expression. "The slower you are the longer it'll take. Now off with you!"

James and Goldberg followed Filch as he wheeled himself down the corridors. He was surprisingly agile considering his age and hunched over frame, and it was a little difficult to keep up with him. "You'll be having some help tonight, since the blubbering fool can't do anything else," he hollered at them. "Hurry up!"

In the Trophy Room, the sun's rays were still shining brightly through the windows, causing all sorts of golden lights that bounced off the walls and trophies. James was astounded at the amount of trophies, cups, and plaques that littered the walls and shelves. Then, the amazement quickly flew away as he realized just how much work it actually entailed. Filch appeared before the two of them, handing them buckets and rags. "Get to work!" he snapped angrily. Exchanging glances, the two of them separated, James going to the Quidditch section while Goldberg went to the plaques.

Kneeling before the shelves, James started from the bottom, wiping them as quickly as he could. It took him an entire hour to finish halfway up the shelves, and deciding to take a break he stood up precariously, stretching his aching back. It was then he noticed the plaques in the glass case beside the shelves. One plaque in particular caught his eye with the name 'JAMES POTTER.' Looking closer, he could see the word 'SEEKER' etched above it. He knew that his grandfather had been a seeker, and a good one at that, but it never really felt real to him. He never knew his grandfather save for the stories his dad shared with him. Suddenly remembering his father, the memories from earlier rushed back to him, and he angrily pushed them out of his mind. Returning to the polishing, he focused all of his energy into wiping the trophies with renewed vigor. He had trouble with the very top of the shelf that was just out of reach, and as he vainly stretched out his arm a large shadow hovered over him.

"Hey, it's you!" James looked up to see the man he met when looking for the library.

"Kuwabara?"

"Heh, you remembered huh? Guess I'm not that easy to forget," the Japanese man said proudly, wiping his nose with his thumb. James didn't know what to say to that, so he continued wiping the trophies anxiously. Kuwabara reached over his head, grabbing a trophy from the top shelf to polish. "What're you doing here? I thought this was my job."

"You're job? I'm here for detention."

"Detention! What'd you do?" Kuwabara cackled with glee. James gave him a small smile.

"Got into a fight. Nothing big, really."

"Heh, bet you kicked his ass good, didn'tcha?" James glanced over at Goldberg, who had miraculously remained oblivious to their conversation. Not wanting to start another fight, he quickly changed the conversation.

"Why weren't you speaking English earlier?"

"I'm really bad at English, so one of the teachers did some spell or something." His body shivered as his face turned pale. "It's creepy, man, the way you guys just keep doing magic. Gives me the whilly nillies."

"So you are a Muggle!"

"A what?"

"Muggle. You know, nonmagical person." Kuwabara huffed angrily.

"Yeah, so what?" he asked hotly. "Doesn't mean I can't do anything. I got lots of tricks up my sleeves." His head whipped around anxiously, spotting Filch in the far corner yelling at Goldberg for his sloppy work. "Watch this," he whispered excitedly, holding out his hand. "Spirit sword!" From his hand a bright orange light shot out like lightning, shattering the glass cabinet by the shelf. James fell over as he tried to jump back, raising a hand to shield his face from the flying shards of glass. The orange light suddenly disappeared as Kuwabara's face faltered. "Oops."

"WHAT IN BLAZES DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" cried Filch, wheeling over to them like a mad man. "You blithering idiot! I should have you hanged for this! No, expelled!"

"Shut up old man, I'm not even a student!"

"Once the Headmistress sees this you'll be out of here in no time! You can't even clean trophies to save your life!" James backed away from the two of them slowly, trying not to cut himself on the glass. Goldberg was also moving quietly in the shadows towards the door. Spotting each other, there was the sudden mutual agreement that fleeing quietly was in their best interest. As much as James wanted to know more about Kuwabara's special power, he didn't want to be there when McGonagall arrived.

* * *

Gaby, Angie, and Nathan were sitting at a table in the common room, their papers strewn every which way as they scribbled down their homework. James was glad to see that they were all friends, considering that Nathan's previous friends were a bunch of jerks.

"James! I thought you were supposed to be in detention," Gaby said anxiously.

"Goldberg and I slipped out. We've got our own problems to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Angie asked. James tried not to look at Nathan as he shook his head.

"I'll tell you later. Got anything to eat? I'm starving." Gaby pulled out balled up napkins from her bag and opened them on the table.

"I got you some chicken and bread buns, they're probably cold by now though." James gladly stuffed them in his mouth.

"Der hebemly," James tried to say through his puffed out cheeks. Forcing himself to swallow, he added, "sorry. They're great, thanks Gaby."

"Have you seen our new room yet?" Nathan asked excitedly, tugging on James' cloak sleeve. "C'mon, I'll show you! They moved our stuff already." He grabbed James' wrist and pulled him along to the dormitories.

"Don't forget we have Astronomy tonight!" Gaby called after them.

"Geez, you're like our mom," Angie remarked sarcastically. James couldn't hear the rest as Nathan pulled him farther up the staircase.

"How far do we have to go?" James asked, feeling out of breath. Ahead of him, Nathan was also breathing hard. In his excitement he used up most of his energy.

"Just one more floor," Nathan replied, letting go of James' wrist to grab onto the railing. Finally, they reached their destination, catching their breath before anything else. "We... made...it," Nathan said through ragged breaths. The door suddenly opened, and a boy's head popped out from behind it.

"Nathan, whatcha doin' down there?" he asked. He had bright blonde locks that curled over his eyes, making them barely visible.

"Brandon! This... is James... Potter," Nathan wheezed. "Hold on." He turned away to cough violently, trying hard to breath right. Brandon looked over at James with a wide grin.

"Potter eh? Nice ta meetcha." He extended a hand, which James shook. "Oi guys! Potter's 'ere!" The door opened further as two boys stepped out. "The stupid lookin' one here is Jasper-"

"Shut it!"

"-and the other one's Nico."

"Sup." James shook both of their hands. "We were about to open up a box of Canary Creams, want some?"

"I love those," James exclaimed happily. He could do with a bit of cheering up. Once Nathan was able to breath properly, all five boys gathered around Nico's bed excitedly as he pulled out all of his goodies. Among the Canary Creams were Wakefield's Off The Record Glow in the Dark Gum, and Magical Moustache Miracle Stubble Grow. James picked up a brush he hadn't seen before. "What's this?"

"Oh, that's a Comb-A-Chameleon. It's brand new, I had to have my brother mail one in for me," Nico said.

"What does it do?" Nico grinned devilishly.

"Try it." Unsure of what would happen (it was a Weasley product after all) he tentatively began to brush his hair. It didn't explode like he thought it would; in fact, he didn't feel anything at all. Beside him, Nathan gasped allowed, covering his mouth to hide his laughter, while Jasper and Brandon flat out hooted with glee.

"That's a keeper! You'd be smart ta keep that look James," Brandon commented.

"Give me a mirror! I want to see!" James demanded. Nico pointed him to the door where a large mirror hung. Clamoring over their beds, his jaw dropped as he realized the consequences of his actions. The place where he had brushed his hair was a hot shade of pink, and it didn't look like it was going away for quite a while. On the plus side, his hair seemed to have finally been tamed. "How long does this last?" James asked hurriedly.

"It says here it lasts for a day," Jasper said nonchalantly, munching on a chocolate frog.

"A day!? What am I going to do for a day?" James cried out. Brandon couldn't stop laughing, and at this point he had rolled off the bed to lay on the floor while holding his sides.

"It's not that bad," Nathan tried to reassure him, still holding back his laughter. James glared at him.

"Don't try to lie to me! It looks horrendous!" He turned back to the mirror, pulling at it as if it would make the color go away. "Maybe I can wear a hat? No, I don't have a hat! Do any of you have a hat!?" Having finally calmed down, Brandon got up from the floor to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Aw, cheer up James! Itsa great conversation starter," he said. "Say, don't we 'ave Astronomy tonight?"

"Yep!" Nico replied happily. James groaned out loud. He already had enough to worry about, and with his hair the way it was, he would be the laughing stock of the entire school.

"Let's just get Astronomy over with," he grumbled, pulling up his cloak hood to hide his hair before grabbing his telescope. Still giggling like pixies, the other four boys followed him out the door. Gaby and Angie were waiting in the common room anxiously by the staircase.

"Took you long enough, you left your bag," Angie said, tossing it to James. He caught it hazardously, nearly spilling its contents.

"Er, thanks." Gaby leaned over to look at him from under the hood.

"Why're you wearing your hood up? It's not raining is it?"

"Um..." Brandon and Jasper began to cackle again, while Nathan and Nico tried to hide their smiles. "It's nothing!" he muttered angrily, pulling it down over his head.

"Okay?" He led the way out of the Gryffindor common room, but ultimately had to wait for everyone else to step out. He had no idea where the Astronomy Tower was, and didn't want to risk getting lost again.

They were having class with the Ravenclaw first years, and as they reached the very top of the tower they could see that they were all there. Looking around, James couldn't see very many Gryffindor students and assumed they were still on their way. Professor Sinistra walked by them, glancing down at them with little interest. "Find a spot and set up your telescope quickly." They meekly passed by her towards the parapet, squeezing in between two Ravenclaw students. To James' horror, the wind had picked up considerably, and he desperately clutched at his hood.

As the remaining Gryffindor students arrived, Professor Sinistra began her lesson, instructing them to turn their telescopes to the planet Mercury. It was becoming increasingly difficult for James to operate his telescope and keep his hood in place. The other boys were refusing to help him, rather they were enjoying the torment he was going through. While trying to turn a knob, he accidentally knocked his telescope off its tripod onto the floor. Letting out a growl of frustration, he awkwardly bent down to pick it up. The Ravenclaw girl beside him also bent down.

"Um, want some help?" she asked, pushing aside her braided hair.

"Yeah, thanks." She picked up his telescope, placing it nervously on the tripod. At some point it nearly tumbled out of her hands, but she caught it just as James outstretched his arms beneath it.

"Sorry!" she apologized, fixing it back on the tripod. This time, it didn't slip, and James felt a wave of relief wash over him. This girl was dangerous. "There, all better. I pointed it at Mercury for you by the way."

"Thanks." As Sinistra was lecturing, James tried looking through the telescope to get a good view, jotting down everything on his notes precariously.

"You're James Potter, aren't you?" the Ravenclaw girl whispered at him.

"Yeah," James muttered, trying not to lose his focus.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kelsey Ravensdale." A sudden burst of wind buffeted against the tower, nearly pulling off his hood. He ducked behind the parapet, pulling it down as far as he could. It was too close of a call. "Say, why're you covering your face like that? You're not gonna be able to see anything like that."

"I've got my reasons, leave me alone," he muttered angrily.

"I was just trying to help," she said accusingly. "You don't have to get all snappy." She turned away from him to look into her own telescope. The wind had died down, and James felt it was safe enough to stand up again. But fortune was not on his side, and another gust of wind ripped the hood from his hands, knocking it completely off his head. His hair was clearly visible in the dark with its bright pink sheen, catching the eyes of the students around him. As quickly as he could, James ducked out of sight and pulled it back over his head before they could say anything.

He could hear giggling from above him, which he could only assume was the Ravenclaw girl. "Shut it!" James shouted angrily at her.

"Mr. Potter!" Sinistra was standing in front of him. She grabbed his arm, dragging him up from the ground into a standing position. "Am I boring you?"

"No, professor," James said quietly, trying to recover what little dignity he had left.

"Then perhaps you wouldn't mind explaining to the class why Mercury's orbit is so much faster than ours?"

"Um..." James searched furiously for an answer, but couldn't come up with one.

"As I thought. 5 points from Gryffindor for your serious lack of focus. And take off that ridiculous hood!" She grabbed at it and threw it off, revealing James' pink hair to the entire class. A chorus of whispers and giggles arose from the students. Brandon couldn't hold it in anymore and fell to the floor laughing. "Mr. Diggle! Compose yourself or I will take another 5 points!" This calmed him down considerably. "I will not allow a prank to get in the way of my lecture. Understood?"

"Yes professor."

"Good." She let go of James, who raised a hand to his pink hair gingerly. Beside him, Kelsey leaned closer to whisper to him.

"I think it looks good." James groaned, hoping class would end sooner than later.

By the end of the lesson, everyone was too tired to say anything as they trudged down the staircase of the Astronomy Tower. James put his hood back up, trying not to think about it. "So that's what you were hiding earlier," Angie said wickedly behind him.

"Yeah, some new Weasley product that Nico had," James replied wearily.

"Ehh it'll go away eventually right?" Gaby said through a yawn.

"Not soon enough," he grumbled back. Kelsey suddenly appeared from behind him, her arms full of her things.

"Hey! How did you do that to your hair? I wanna know."

"Go away," James said angrily, covering his face.

"I'm not trying to mean you know," she retorted angrily. "I just wanna know how you did it."

"Some Weasley product he said," Angie supplied. "I'm pretty sure it was the Comb-A-Chameleon."

"You know about it?" Gaby asked in amazement.

"Well yeah, I get a catalog mailed to me every month."

"Wow, I didn't know that." They reached the bottom of the staircase, waving goodbye to Kelsey as they parted ways.

"Thanks again!" she called out to them before running off with her housemates. "Let's eat together sometime!" The three of them waved back before heading up another set of staircases towards the Gryffindor tower.

"I hate stairs," James grumbled.

"Today's lesson was so interesting!" Gaby said excitedly, completely ignoring James' discontent. "I didn't think we'd be learning about the mythology behind the planets."

"You would be excited about that," Angie commented dryly. Before them was the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Dinglebat." In the common room, James said goodnight to the twins as he slowly made his way up the stairs. He couldn't stop yawning, and it seemed like forever until he finally made it to his own dorm. Opening the door slowly, he could see that the other four boys had already made it back and were passed out on their beds. He dropped his things beside his bed, not caring to even place them correctly. But before he threw himself on the bed, a sudden idea came to mind, and he couldn't help but grin at his own cleverness. Reaching carefully for the Comb-A-Chameleon in Nico's drawer, he got to work brushing each of his roommates' hair.

* * *

The next morning James awoke to a sudden weight on his chest. "Whad ya'd do ta my hair!?" Brandon cried out, bearing down on him as he sat on James's chest. His once luscious blonde locks were riddled with uneven patches of bright pink. James burst out laughing, trying to shove him off.

"You definitely look better like that!" he managed to say through his laugher.

"This isn't funny," Nico growled from behind Brandon. His long hair was covered in green and purple stripes, making his head look like a misshapen plant gone wrong. Jasper's once matted brown hair was entirely straight with random orange spots. Only Nathan had survived the night unscathed, as James didn't have the heart to prank him.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about, these are definitely good looks for you guys. I mean, you'll catch all the ladies," James responded sarcastically. Before Brandon could say any more Nathan cut in.

"We're gonna be late for breakfast!" James raised his hands up in truce.

"Now we're even, right?" he said with a grin. Brandon smirked, ruffling his hair.

"Yeah right, just wait till I plan my counter attack."

"Ooh, I'm so scared." After getting their things packed, they tore down the stairs in a rush to get food. James couldn't see the twins, so he assumed they had already left. In the Great Hall they received all sorts of looks, but now that James wasn't alone he didn't feel so bad about it. In fact, he felt proud and happy that he had friends to share it with. Some of the girls were pointing and giggling at them, and while Jasper had pulled up his hood to hide it Brandon strutted through the tables as if he were making a fashion statement. Nico tried his best to act like he didn't care, but James could tell his face was flushed with embarrassment. As they sat down, Professor Macmillan passed by them, glancing down at their hideously bright hair. After a moment of silence she finally spoke.

"Glad to see you're all getting along."


	5. Chapter 5

Happy Sunday! Thanks again for stopping by to read. *bows* There's quite a bit of Japanese in this chapter, my apologies.

As always, please enjoy! And if you have the time, let me know what you think in a review. I would love to hear from you all. :3

* * *

Halloween was only a week away, and James was no closer to learning about demons than he was before. Working for Professor Minamino in the greenhouses gave no reward, as the professor kept to himself, and whenever he tried to ask Kuwabara the man would fidget awkwardly and avoid the question. Back again in the library, he sighed loudly in frustration, letting the book drop on the table with a loud bang.

"There's nothing!" he whispered harshly. Gaby looked up from her Greek mythology book.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"While you're reading that book you like so much, we haven't found anything," Angie mumbled, closing yet another book. "Seriously, I'm starting to think we've read the entire library by now."

"So now what?" James sat back in his chair, thinking desperately. He knew his father had the answers, yet he was reluctant to ask. He never really got the chance to apologize to him for what he said the first week of school, and it bothered him that his father never came to visit him at all. Gaby sighed, closing her book.

"Guess we'll have to look elsewhere then."

* * *

"Hey fox boy!" Yusuke called out, tapping on Kurama's door impatiently.

"Pipe down Urameshi, you're too loud," Kuwabara scolded.

"Up yours, dumbass."

"You little-! Just because Genkai died doesn't mean you get to be a jackass! Geez, have some respect."

"Yeah whatever, the old hag had it coming." Kurama opened the door, allowing them through. Beneath his wizarding robe he was wearing a black suit and tie, something Yusuke and Kuwabara had never seen him wear before. "Looking sharp Kurama."

"You're late, Yusuke. Everyone's already here." The plants that had once littered Kurama's office were gone, revealing quite a lot of space for everyone to stand. Koenma sat at the desk while Botan stood behind him. Yukina, Shizuru, and Keiko were also there, and Hiei remained halfway in the windowsill, ready for a quick getaway.

"Yukina! Heh, what a surprise," Kuwabara said happily, strategically sitting between her and Shizuru. "Hey sis." Yukina smiled happily back while Shizuru didn't even give him a glance.

"Keiko, I'm surprised to see you here," Yusuke said, sitting next to her. She glared at him viciously.

"When are you going to start sending me normal letters, huh?" she asked hotly. "I have no idea how to respond back to you when some owl comes swooping in to drop something in my lap!" Yusuke's face broke into a grin.

"Can't help it Keiko, that's the way they do things here."

"I don't understand why I have to be here," Hiei growled angrily, interrupting the two. "She was never of any importance to me."

"She was our comrade and friend, Hiei. You can't deny that," Kurama responded patiently. The fire demon simply grunted in response, turning away to find something more interesting to look at outside.

"Ahem," Koenma interrupted impatiently. "Now that everyone's here we can begin," He pulled out some folded papers from his robes. "I'm sorry this has to be done here, but there's a lot at stake here in Europe, and I can't have you leaving for a moment. If it were up to me, her will would have been read at her temple."

"She left a will? Wonder if we'll get anything good," Yusuke mumbled under his breath with a wicked grin. Keiko, seated next to him, slapped him over the head for good measure.

"Behave, Yusuke!"

"Who's it addressed to?" Kuwabara asked. Koenma looked down at the paper, his eyes squinting to focus on the delicate, thin handwriting.

"To everyone."

"Man, we're not getting anything are we?" Yusuke complained loudly, receiving another smack from Keiko. Koenma chose to ignore him and continued with the will.

_To everyone,_

_That this letter is being read to you now likely means there is one less person in the world. I'll continue on with the assumption that you're all healthy and doing well. Now on to business. While still alive, I divided up the land surrounding my temple and left it to all of you. It's several hours by car to the nearest town, and while not a suitable place for humans to live, it would be a fine place for demons to take refuge. If at all possible, please leave it as it is._

The room was silent as everyone took her words in. "She left all that to us?" Keiko asked. Koenma nodded.

"Indeed. I have here the necessary documents of her assets and accounts."

"Hn, as I thought, none of my business," Hiei remarked coldly. "If you need me, don't bother trying to find me." He flitted out the window and disappeared from sight. Kurama chuckled at his typical behavior.

"So now that granny's gone, what're we gonna do about teaching everyone here about demons?" Yusuke asked suddenly. "We're a man down too. Er, woman down, I guess."

"I'm having Kuroko fill her position for now." Yusuke's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, I'm impressed Koenma. I didn't think you'd be able to get her our of retirement."

"It's not permanent," Koenma corrected him. "She's only agreed to fill in for the week. After that you're on your own."

"Wait, who's this Kuroko you're talking about?" Kuwabara cut in.

"Kuroko Sanada, she was the first spirit detective, even before Sensui," Yusuke told him. "I can't believe she's actually coming here. You sure she's ok with me?"

"Just try not to be around her too much. Your stunt in the demon world may have put you in a better light, but I wouldn't push it." Koenma folded the papers and returned them to his robe. He then fished around his pockets, pulling out a second folded paper. "This is a letter from Enki. He wanted you to have it." Yusuke pointed at himself, dumbfounded.

"Me? What's he got to do with me?" Koenma's face twitched with annoyance.

"Beats me!" he responded angrily. Yusuke shrugged, tossing the letter to Kurama. "Do whatever you want to it, I've got business to take care of!" With that he disappeared, leaving everyone to ponder over Genkai's death. As everyone chatted amongst themselves, Kurama gingerly opened the letter, reading its contents. His face grew dark for just a brief moment as he let his emotions get the better of him. Regaining composure, he carefully placed the letter back in its envelope, moving swiftly to Botan's side.

"May I have a moment of your time?" he asked assertively, leaving no room for argument. She looked stunned, but nodded her head, following Kurama outside of his office.

* * *

After an entire lunch period spent scouring the library with little food to eat, James could feel his stomach already complaining. He put a hand over it in an attempt to quiet it, but to no avail. Trying not to think about it, he focused on getting to Minamino's office as fast as he could. The professor was fascinated by the candy and sweets sold at Hogsmead and often shared his secret stash with James before they got to work. He wondered what sort of treats he would get to try today, and was thankful that his mother wasn't here to scold him for it.

As he turned the corner, he heard a voice he couldn't recognize. Suddenly his brain kicked into gear as he realized this was his chance to finally discover more about Minamino and whether or not he was a demon. He quickly ducked into a nearby shrubbery, and not a moment too late, for he saw Minamino stepping briskly away from his office alongside a foreign woman with bright blue hair. They spoke to each other in a language James couldn't understand, but Minamino looked tense as he spoke rapidly to the woman. She replied with a shocked expression, holding a hand to her mouth and shaking her head. Minamino didn't back down, however, and continued to speak in hushed tones. James was so engrossed in their conversation that he didn't notice the slight breeze that picked up behind him. Only when he saw a shadow cast over him onto the floor did he realize he had been caught.

"Kusogaki." In an instant a hand grabbed his cloak and lifted him effortlessly from the shrubbery. Looking up at the man, James flinched instinctively at the harsh glare he was given. Red almond eyes looked down on him with disgust and annoyance, and he quickly turned his face away to avoid it. Minamino and the woman ended their conversation abruptly, and James could see the professor's eyes widen in surprise. "Kore mite, Kurama. Kosokoso gaki ga sagashita."

"Tebanashinasai, Hiei," Minamino said in their mother tongue. James heard a grunt, then felt the hard sensation of the floor as he was dropped. He looked wildly at Minamino, not daring to look up at the man who had held him up off the ground. "James, what are you doing here?" Somehow surprised by the sudden change in language, James could only guffaw. Minamino walked towards him purposefully, giving the man behind James a warning glance before bending down in front of him. His brow was creased with worry or anger, James couldn't really tell which. He sincerely hoped it was worry.

"Sorry, professor, I didn't mean to spy on you, it's just I didn't want to disturb you and you seemed to be having an important conversation..." Words kept spilling out of James' mouth uncontrollably. Minamino raised a hand to silence him.

"You're here early, as expected from such a good student," Minamino suggested to him casually. James could only nod in response, happy to have escaped his wrath. The woman with blue hair had also approached them, and James could see she had bright pink eyes. They were wide and full of admiration as James realized they were focused on him.

"Uwaaa, kawaii!" she exclaimed happily. James didn't know what to say. Why did every Japanese person he met think he could understand them? Minamino, noticing his confusion, pulled out his wand and directed at the woman.

"Lingua Verto."

"You're so lucky to be working here Kurama. Oops!" She covered her mouth, looking to Minamino for answers. "How did you do that! Its remarkable!"

"Botan, this is a student of mine. His name is James." Botan smiled wide.

"It's nice to meet you James," she said happily, extending a hand to him.

"Likewise?" She gripped his hand and pulled him up from the floor. "Professor Minamino, what's going on?" Botan was about to open her mouth as Minamino pushed her gently to the side.

"I'm sorry James, but today we won't be working in the greenhouses. A dear friend of ours has passed away."

"Sorry." James didn't know what else to say. He felt horrible now for spying on them when he shouldn't have.

"If you'll give me a moment, I have some matters to attend to," Minamino said, standing up. He nodded to Botan. "Would you keep him company for me?"

"Of course!" she replied excitedly. James risked glancing behind him to see the man with red eyes, but he had completely disappeared.

"Where did he-"

"Oh don't mind him. So you're a wizard! Fascinating." Her face was really close to James, and he nervously swallowed.

"Well actually I'm not-"

"You can perform magic! Do a spell for me would you? I'd love to see it!"

"I can't really-"

"Make something float!"

"I'm not-"

"Hey Botan!" Kuwabara's thick voice cut in. It looked like he came from Minamino's office, no doubt at the professor's request. James was glad for the company, regretting that he ever met Botan in the first place. The woman was an absolute nightmare. "Quit pestering the kid already."

"Oops!" She laughed lightly at her own embarrassment. "Sorry James, but you know when I get excited I guess I just can't keep it to myself! Plus it's really hard to find a wizard that's actually nice in my profess-"

"WOAH WHAT LOOK AT THAT," Kuwabara suddenly shouted, pointing off into the distance. James quickly turned his head, then cursed himself for his gullibility. But by the time he had turned his head back Kuwabara and Botan were a good distance away, speaking in hushed whispers. He stretched forward to try and catch what they were saying, but Kuwabara had already spotted him and gave him a goofy grin. "Heh, sorry about that kid."

"Stop calling me kid," James said, annoyed at his familiar tone. Kuwabara moved closer, his tall figure towering over James like a tree.

"But you're just a kid anyway," Kuwabara pointed out, poking his forehead. "See? Just a little shrimp." James growled in frustration, but before he could say anything the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. "Oh crap, Filch's gonna flip! Gotta go Botan, take care of the brat!"

"I'm not a brat!" James shouted angrily to Kuwabara, who was already running across the grounds. Botan patted his head in comfort.

"There there, I think its just grand to want to be an adult so soon," she said cheerfully. James looked up at her with a disgusted expression, shrugging off her hand.

"You're all treating me like a child," he muttered angrily through his teeth. He pushed past Botan, who had finally seemed to give up, and made his way straight to Minamino's office. The professor was saying goodbye to a group of people, all Japanese. A few of the girls looked his way and waved with a smile. Their Muggle clothes didn't really fit in Hogwarts, though he was used to seeing them on his visits to Uncle Dudley's. Of the Japanese people leaving the room, he could only recognize Urameshi, who he had talked to on occasion. The groundskeeper-in-training gave him a half hearted grin, and James waved back.

Once everyone had left, Minamino motioned him inside. To his surprise all of the plants were gone, and the room was pleasantly cool. "What happened to your plants professor?" he asked, looking around to make sure he couldn't find any.

"I had quite a lot of company today, so I moved them temporarily to Greenhouse C. Chocolate frog?"

"Yes please!" Minamino tossed him a box, which he opened eagerly. The frog inside wiggled and nearly jumped from his hands, but James was ready for it and snatched it out of the air.

"You're getting good at that," Minamino said encouragingly, throwing a jelly bean into his mouth. Of all the candies that he had stashed away, James could say for certain that Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans were Minamino's favorite. It was no wonder, since the professor was curiously adept at picking out the flavors he liked. How he did it James couldn't tell, but as Minamino handed him a Glazed Doughnut jelly bean, he didn't really care. "Shall we get to work?" James nodded, stashing his Chocolate Frog card in his cloak pocket.

Moving the plants from the greenhouse to the office was a little tricky. There were quite a few plants that needed to be moved, and James was starting to wonder how they even managed to fit in the first place. He was particularly careful to avoid the more dangerous plants, letting Minamino handle them on his own, and instead picked up the mostly harmless or non-magical plants that didn't want to eat him alive. He eyed the Bouncing Bulb that sat in the corner of the greenhouse menacingly, having never forgiven it for his first day in the greenhouse. Minamino chuckled quietly, and James averted his eyes hurriedly.

"You're not easy to forgive, are you?" the professor asked him fondly.

"Not really," James said through a sigh. "I mean, if it was something small then yeah, it's fine. But trying to kill me is a completely different thing." Minamino chuckled again.

"I hardy think it was trying to kill you," he said while lifting a potted plant from the table. The thorny vines inside squirmed uncomfortably, but didn't attack.

"How many more are left?"

"Just these two. It didn't take as long as I thought it would because you work so quickly." He motioned to a potted spearmint plant for James to carry. "You haven't forgiven your father either, have you?" James didn't say anything at first. He had admitted to the professor how he was upset with his father for lying to him, and often came to him whenever he encountered a problem.

"So? It's not like it's going to ruin his life. He's Harry Potter, there's tons of kids out there who want him as a dad."

"True, though there's only one kid he wants to be his son." Minamino leaned on the door, holding it open for James to step through. "You don't get to choose your family."

"You're right, I don't," James said quietly. "I wish I could though. I don't want Harry Potter as a dad. I just want a dad." He shifted the weight of the pot in his arms, following the professor to his office. "Professor, what's your family like? You seem to have a lot of Muggle friends, did you grow up as a Muggle?"

"You could tell?"

"Of course. Their clothes were definitely not wizarding clothes, even for foreigners." Minamino smiled.

"You've got a good eye. Yes, I was raised by a Muggle family. I have a mother living in Japan with her new husband and his son."

"New husband?" James asked. "What happened to your father?"

"He passed away. It must've been... five years, probably." James was thrown off by how nonchalantly he spoke of his father's death. He knew the professor as kind and forgiving, so he wondered what his father had done to receive such little emotion. Wanting to know more, but knowing it would be rude, he kept his mouth shut and didn't respond.

Thankfully they had reached his office, and James hurriedly put the pot on the professor's desk to rest his tired arms. He flopped down on one of the large chairs, sinking into the comfort. Professor Minamino settled the plant he was carrying in a far corner, placing the spearmint next to it. The vines reached out and snapped at a few of its neighbor's leaves, dragging them under the dirt.

"Sometimes," he began to say carefully, watching the plant eat its morsel, "it's important to lie to protect what we love most." James rolled his eyes, and Minamino gave him a reprimanding look. "Don't tell me you haven't lied to your father."

"Not about anything this big," James mumbled, looking away from the professor. He didn't want Minamino knowing that he and his friends had suspected he was a demon. Then again, it wasn't really lying if it was never said in the first place, right?

Professor Minamino looked up at the clock that somehow managed to stand above the menagerie of stalks and leaves. "It's almost time for our next class, shall we head to the greenhouse together?" Feeling exhausted from moving the plants, James didn't feel like getting up right at that moment. But he couldn't ignore the professor's request and stood up anyway, fixing his cloak.

* * *

Harry felt extremely bored sitting in his office. Aside from teaching Shuichi magic during his lunch period and after classes, there wasn't anything left for him to do. Borgus was constantly heckling him to visit his DADA class, but after the first month he was beginning to run out of things to talk about, and he was sure that the students were losing interest in him as well. He pulled out the Marauder's Map, opening it up across the table. It was becoming a habit of his to watch the castle grounds through the map, keeping a close eye on James and his other extended family. He noticed with a wry smile that Teddy was busy patrolling the hallways for any miscreants, while Freddy and Victoire were sitting in class. He doubted that Freddy was paying any attention, seeing as the Potions Master Collette continuously paced between him and the front of the class.

Harry reflected on his lesson that day with Shuichi, who had made little progress since their first day. Somehow the demon soul inside of him suppressed his ability to perform counter-spells, and despite all their hard work over the past month they had only just barely managed to get the explosions under control. Harry had long since run out of chests to practice on, so instead they used a bronze doorknob and keyhole that his brother-in-law gave him. Thanks to George, the doorknob simply put itself back together again, no matter how explosive Shuichi's spells became.

Looking over the map, his eyes naturally fell upon the greenhouses as he searched for his son's name. To his dismay, he couldn't find it, or anyone's name for that matter. The entire class was no longer in the greenhouses, so he quickly scanned over the grounds trying to find them. No doubt Shuichi had taken hem on a field trip to observe plants, but to where? Finally he found the group of students moving west towards the lake. His relief f having found them soon turned into horror as they group suddenly veered north, straight towards the Whomping Willow.

* * *

Angie nudged James with her shoulder as they walked across the fields. "You ok?" James didn't reply back, trying to find the best words to use.

"Yeah, today's been a weird day," he finally said. Angie's brow raised in curiosity.

"How so?" James unknowingly grimaced at the thought of the girl with blue hair. "That bad, huh?"

"You could say that." He looked over to Gaby, who was in a deep conversation with Nathan on note-taking. "I'll tell you more later, when we're back in the common room."

"We're here," Professor Minamino called out, holding his hand up to stop them. "Gather round, and stay close to me." Behind him stood an enormous tree with thick, burly branches and dark, hardened bark. Scattered over its thin, bone-like twigs were tiny green leaves, some of which were beginning to brown. Despite its thick trunk, the tree was practically one with the wind as it swayed ever so slightly back and forth. "Can anyone tell me why I've brought you here?" None of the students said anything, nor did they raise their hands. "No one?" Finally, in the far back, someone raised their hand in the air. "Yes, Bickley?"

"Treegazing?" The professor allowed himself a chuckle.

"No, it's a bit more serious than that. We are standing before a Whomping Willow, one of many rare-"

"SHUICHI! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND!?" All eyes turned towards the direction of the voice, but James already knew who it was and groaned.

"James, isn't that your father?" Gaby whispered to him.

"Hasn't he gotten tired of interrupting my classes?" James muttered angrily. Angie grinned.

"This oughtta be fun."

"Why, Mr. Potter," the professor greeted warmly, as if they had just run into each other at the park, "I must say, it's quite a surprise to have you join our class." Harry charged through the body of students as they parted like the Red Sea. He stopped in front of Minamino, his breathing uneven and ragged.

"Shuichi... that's a... Whomping Willow... dangerous... just... everyone get back!" He was trying his best to regain control of his lungs, barely holding himself up off the ground.

"You're right, it is indeed a Whomping Willow. We've come out here to get a closer look."

"Closer -! Look, Shuichi, that thing's dangerous! I should know, I practically drove a car into it and nearly died!" Professor Minamino looked mildly surprised, and he glanced behind him at the tree.

"Well, now I understand where the scars came from," he said casually. "I can assure you Mr. Potter that we are quite safe." He looked back at James and gave him a wink, and James had to turn around to stifle his laughter. The professor was toying with him. "In fact, I'd like to take this opportunity to teach the students. If you'd be so kind as to assist me?" Without waiting for a reply Minamino gripped Harry's arm and pulled him forward.

"Shuichi wait-"

"Whomping Willows are quite temperamental," the professor began to lecture as he dragged Harry towards the tree. It began to shake and creak, unnerved by the sudden presence that came closer to its roots. "Its quite useful to plant above something you wish to protect, for its branches are thick and mobile, and it will attack anything that comes close to it."

"What are you doing?!"

"Observe." Minamino finally let Harry go and stepped back. Although James had found it funny that his father was being embarrassed, he started to get worried. If what the professor was saying was true, then his father was stepping into something that he might not be able to handle. He watched nervously as Harry faced the tree head on. Both he and the tree were frozen as they waited for the other to move first. Likewise, the students were eerily quiet, trying vainly to anticipate what was going to happen next.

The tree was the first to attack, throwing a mighty branch downwards towards Harry. He ducked and rolled to the left, dodging the blow, however the recoil that shook the ground beneath him threw his balance off and he tumbled onto his back. The students gasped in horror as James clenched his fists in dread. He began to push his way to the front where the professor stood, watching the entire scene.

"Professor!" James begged, pulling at Minamino's cloak. "Please, help him!" Minamino turned his attention towards James, his face stoic and with little emotion.

"James, you need to watch your father. He's teaching you a valuable lesson." James whipped his head back to the tree, watching as his father tried to crawl away from its surprisingly agile branches. They were like big bulging arms with fist-like knots that crushed the earth beneath them. How was his father going to survive against something like that?

"IMMOBULUS!" Red sparks flew from Harry's wand tip, striking the Whomping Willow's trunk. Immediately the branches froze in place, and not a moment too soon for they hovered mere feet above Harry's head. The students broke into triumphant applause as Harry breathed a sigh of relief, moving quickly out of harm's way. They crowded around him, save for James who stood paralyzed in place.

His father had been so close to death. The thought of possibly losing his father had never occurred to him before, nor had he ever considered it. Sure, he was angry with his father, but not to the point of wanting him dead. He raised his head to look at the professor, whose eyes were glinting with hidden malice. Suddenly all those days spent with him seemed like nothing. The warm, kind hearted professor had been replaced with a cruel, cunning man. His chest felt heavy with dread and fear, and although he desperately wanted to move his legs wouldn't listen. Minamino faced him, looking down on him with dark, emerald eyes. His breath caught in his throat, he couldn't breath.

Then, like a gust of wind on a hot summer day, everything washed away into nothing. The hand that had been placed on his shoulder brought comfort, safety, and warmth. Finally able to move, he whipped his head around to find Harry standing over him, his arm resting protectively across James' shoulders. "Are you alright, son?" he asked. James nodded, and for once, was thankful his father was there to protect him.

"SHUICHI MINAMINO AND HARRY POTTER, MY OFFICE NOW," McGonagall's voice boomed across the grounds. There was a moment of silence, then Minamino's dark faced brightened up as he approached his students.

"Alright class! Make your way back to the greenhouses and begin reading your next chapter," he called out to them. "And don't forget your assignment, I want 500 words on effective ways to paralyze a Whomping Willow!" The class groaned aloud, trudging back towards the castle. Harry nudged James forward, urging him to follow.

"Bye dad," James said quietly, his face full of longing as he watched his father follow Minamino in another direction towards the castle. Looking back he realized the class was far ahead of him and jogged to keep up. Gaby, Angie, and Nathan had stuck to the back of the group, waiting for him.

"Did you see that! That was amazing!" Nathan cried out excitedly. "I've never seen such bravery before!"

"James, are you ok? You look awfully pale," Gaby said worriedly.

"I'm fine," James said quickly, trying to avoid the subject.

"That felt like a little too close for comfort," Angie admitted. "If it were anyone else I don't think they would've survived."

"But that's why it was so remarkable!" Nathan argued heatedly. "I'm sure the professor knew he'd be ok. I mean, come on, this is Harry Potter we're talking about!"

"I'm not so sure," Gaby interjected. James kept his head low, watching the motion of his feet as he walked forward on autopilot. He didn't care where he was going, he just knew the two bodies beside him would direct him where to go.

* * *

In the Headmistress' office, Harry and Shuichi stood side by side in front of the desk. McGonagall sat in her chair with a grim expression on her face as she stared hard at the two. No one spoke a word; indeed, no one had to. They already knew what was coming.

"Mr. Potter, how you manage to find yourself in these predicaments is truly a gift," McGonagall finally spoke. "I would have sincerely hoped your experiences here as a student have taught you better. Clearly, it has not."

"Professor, I-" She raised a hand to stop him.

"Not another word," she said sternly. "It seems we shall have to go through other means to train Professor Minamino here. Starting tomorrow, you will not be allowed on Hogwarts grounds without my explicit permission." Harry's brow creased with anger.

"How do you expect me to teach him anything?!" he yelled angrily. "You know what? No that's fine. I refuse to teach him anything! In fact, it's his fault we're in this mess in the first place!"

"I don't see what the problem is," Shuichi said calmly, his face void of anything but serenity. McGonagall peered at him over her glasses.

"Oh believe me, professor, he's not the only one I'm going to punish," she said threateningly. Harry flashed Shuichi a triumphant smirk. "However, Mr. Potter, today is not the reason for my decision. You have consistently interrupted your son's classes, and I'm beginning to think he isn't learning anything but how to cause trouble." Harry's smirk faltered as he realized what she meant.

"Headmistress," Shuichi interjected, "I would like to express my deepest apologies. Harry here has done nothing wrong, and it was wrong of me to carelessly throw him to the Whomping Willow."

"While it is very mature of you to say that, my position still stands," McGonagall said icily. "Mr. Potter, we will have a cottage prepared for you on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. You will continue to teach Professor Minamino on the weekends, when he has the time to visit you. You may go." In a silent rage Harry pushed past Shuichi, who bowed respectfully to McGonagall before catching up to him.

"What do you want?" Harry muttered angrily to him. "Haven't you humiliated me enough?"

"I think James is really proud to have you as a father." The statement was unexpected, and Harry stopped halfway down the stone steps.

"What of it?" he asked cautiously, facing Shuichi with a hardened stare. His malice was returned with a warm smile.

"You could have lost your life out there, but you didn't," Shuichi continued. Harry was hit with the sudden realization.

"You sly little devil," he commented wryly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the professor said smoothly, stepping past him. Harry chased after him. He didn't know why he was laughing, but somehow the entire situation seemed ridiculous.

"I feel like a kid again," he said happily, pushing his overgrown bangs out of his face. Once they had reached the bottom of the stairs, the two of them parted ways, Harry to his office and Shuichi to the greenhouses. Despite having to move to Hogsmeade and away from Hogwarts, Harry felt more relaxed than before. His anger was gone, replaced by the gratitude he had for Shuichi's actions. And with a clear mind he thought over his predicament, which was beginning to look more and more promising. Now that he wasn't required to stay at Hogwarts, he could travel home during the weeks to spend time with Ginny. No doubt she was going to do something about his hair, which had grown to look more like a mop without her constant attention. He grinned at the thought of her fussing over it, happy that things were finally beginning to look up.

* * *

Kurama decided to skip dinner that night, preferring a solitary moment to himself in his office. It was short lived, however, as Hiei flitted through the window, making himself at home.

"So good of you to drop by," Kurama said mockingly. Hiei shot him a glare, but decided to ignore the comment.

"Have you read the letter?"

"I have."

"Your thoughts?" Kurama sat back in his chair, stretching his back.

"It concerns me that we hadn't considered it sooner," he remarked. "After all, the timelines match considerably well."

"Hn, I wouldn't know anything about that," Hiei retorted briskly. "They're sending Yomi and his brat to take care of it. I doubt they'll return alive." Kurama frowned at the thought.

"Indeed, their chances are slim to none." Their conversation was interrupted by a loud knock on the door.

"Hey Kurama! Got a minute?" Yusuke called out from the other side.

"Come in." The former spirit detective barged through, a dopey grin plastered over his face.

"Heard you threw Pops at tree."

"You really shouldn't be calling him that Yusuke," Kurama said through a sigh. "He's a very well respected wizard."

"Its easier to call him Pops. You got that letter Koenma left us?" Hiei snorted in disdain, pulling the letter from his robes to hand it to Yusuke. He skimmed over it quietly to himself, his face becoming dark. "I heard about this place. Hokushin's told me some pretty nasty stuff."

"Whatever you may have heard about the place, Yusuke, is incomparable to its reality," Kurama warned. "Even the most powerful of demons never dared set foot through its misty haze. In fact, the only known demon to have crossed through was Raizen, and that was before his fasting." Yusuke seemed surprised.

"If my old man's the only one who can survive it, how the hell is Enki expecting Yomi and his kid to make it through?" Kurama leaned forward on the desk, holding his head in his hands. While he and Yomi may not have had a great past together, the Demon Tournament had given them the chance to patch things up a bit. Now, he was facing the possibility of never seeing him again.

"I don't know, Yusuke. But it's too late now. They've already passed through the gate."

* * *

James knocked quietly on Harry's office door, which stood slightly ajar. Inside, his father was packing his things carefully into his chests, but as he heard James he paused his work. "Hey there James," he said with a smile.

"You're leaving?" James asked.

"Yep. Looks like I've caused a bit too much trouble staying here." He urged James inside, shutting the door behind him. "Something bothering you?"

"Um, not really," James lied, moving out of the way to sit in the chair. The desk in front of him was littered with all sorts of things, but mostly parchments and ink bottles. "I just, um, wanted to say hi." Harry ruffled his hair playfully.

"Is that really all you wanted to say?" James shook Harry's hand off his head, trying to pat it back down. His father laughed at his futile efforts. "Trust me, it's never going to flatten."

"It did when I used the Comb-A-Chameleon," James mentioned under his breath, a smile forming across his lips.

"Did you say something?"

"It's not important," James lied.

"Ha, right." Harry resumed his packing, directing his clothes to fold themselves neatly in his chest.

"Do you have to go?" James suddenly blurted out. Harry turned to look at him questioningly. "It's just... nice, to have you here."

"Headmistress' orders," Harry responded sadly, shrugging his shoulders. James looked down at his feet awkwardly. He suddenly didn't feel safe anymore now that Harry was leaving Hogwarts. The professor he had come to trust over the past month just tried to kill his father. Harry noticed his downcast expression from the corner of his eye. With a sigh, he set down his things to kneel in front of James.

"Look James. I'm not going to be far. I'll be in Hogsmeade just a few miles away," he said encouragingly. "I'll always be here to help you. Got that?" James nodded, not wanting to look up at his father out of embarrassment. Harry placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm leaving Wiggles to you, so you can send me a letter anytime you need me."

"Ok." Outside in the halls the bells rang, signaling curfew.

"Looks like its time for you to go. Be good, ok? And no more getting into fights," Harry said with a laugh. James looked up at him with a confident smirk.

"I'll try."

"That's my boy. Now off you go." James jumped from the chair, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders. It had been so long since he had hugged his father that he had forgotten how warm and comforting it was.

"Thanks dad." James was the first to let go, and as he headed for the door his father returned to work. With his hand on the door, James suddenly turned, remembering that he was nearly out of parchment. "Oh, do you have any blank parchment I can have? I'm running out."

"Sure, it's on my desk," Harry replied absentmindedly as he was focusing on his things. As the second bell rang, James hurriedly grabbed a handful of parchment on the desk and shoved it in his robes before leaving his father's office for the last time.


	6. Chapter 6

The two chapters have been merged! :D

* * *

The excitement was building between the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors as both Quidditch teams prepared for their match at the end of the week. James wasn't too thrilled about it, having grown up his entire life with a mother who had played professionally, but he could tell that Angie was really excited about it.

"Why's she so excited?" James asked Gaby during lunch. "I mean, it's just Quidditch."

"We've never seen a live Quidditch match before," Gaby explained. "In America, we mostly play Quodpot."

""Quodpot?"Overhearing them, Angie suddenly grinned devilishly.

"It's loads of fun," she said, trying not to laugh. "Basically you have to get the ball in the basket before it explodes in your face."

"Explodes?!" James exclaimed. "And I thought Quidditch was dangerous enough." Angie burst out laughing.

"It's not as bad as you think. In fact, more people die playing Quidditch than they do in Quodpot." James face turned sour.

"That doesn't really help, you know." Angie, however, ignored his discomfort and continued to finish off her plate.

"I can't play this year, but next year I'm definitely going to try out," she said confidently.

"Which position would you be?" She paused mid bite, thinking carefully.

"Probably a Chaser. They do a lot of what normal players do in Quodpot."

"Did I hear mention of Quodpot?" A rather tall student with signature bright orange hair sat across from them at the table.

"Hiya Freddy," James said with a grin.

"You two must be the twins from America," Freddy asked, pointing to the two of them. "Heard lots about you."

"Oh, right. This is Angie and Gaby," James introduced hurriedly. "Angie's thinking of trying out next year."

"I'm not thinking about it, I'm definitely doing it," she corrected him.

"If you've played Quodpot, I'm sure you'll do fine," Freddy said encouragingly. "Though we'll be short a beater once Finch finishes his last year. Good news is I'll probably be captain once he's gone, so work hard," he said with a grin.

"You think so?" James asked. "You said that last year too you know, and look where you are now." Freddy rolled his eyes.

"That's because Lucas practically begged Macmillan for it!" he argued. "I was clearly the favorite." His face grew a wicked grin as a thought occurred to him. Bowing low so only they could hear him, he whispered, "Speaking of Macmillan, she's letting us throw a little Halloween party just for us Gryffindors in the common room. You game?" Angie and Gaby looked to each other, shrugging.

"Yeah, sure."

"Why not?" James also nodded excitedly.

"Good! Don't forget to be in costume." They waved as he left to join another group of students farther down the table.

"What position does he play?" Angie asked.

"Chaser, I think. So you're really gonna have to impress him next year," James warned.

"Guys, what are we going to wear for the party?" Gaby asked suddenly. James and Angie looked back at her with blank expressions, and she sighed. "Figures."

* * *

Once again James stood awkwardly at Minamino's door, unsure of his own feelings about the professor. Yesterday's class had been a harrowing experience, and his dad had nearly lost his life. But as he stood there at the door he knew hat this time, his father wouldn't be there to stop him. Taking a deep breath, he clutched at the doorknob and opened the door.

He honestly didn't know what he was expecting, but upon seeing Professor Minamino sitting at his desk, munching on jelly beans and grading papers, he knew he wasn't expecting things to be so... ___normal_. "Hello James," Minamino said lightly, looking up from his desk. "Chocolate Frog?"

"Uh, no thanks."

"Really?" Minamino questioned with a raised brow. "It's certainly a first to have you refuse a Chocolate Frog." James didn't reply as he stood up. "Shall we get to work?"

"What will we be doing today?" James asked cautiously, following the professor out of his office.

"Nothing special. Just watering the plants in Greenhouse C."

"Oh." A silence filed the air between them, and it continued to follow them into the Greenhouse. Professor Minamino handed him the water can and resumed his work in trimming the leaves on the mandrake roots. Trying not to trip on his robes, James settled into the familiarity of watering each of the plants.

"What did you think of yesterday's lesson?" Minamino asked. James tensed up. "The Whomping Willow is certainly an impressive tree."

"Yeah."

"Did your father ever tell you about it? He seems to know quite a lot about it."

"He crashed Grandpa's car into it." Minamino laughed.

"Yes, I've heard that story from the late Herbology professor. She wasn't too fond of the memory." James poured the water gently into another plant. He couldn't think of anything to say. "Were you worried about your father yesterday?" James felt that the professor seemed to already know the answer. "He was quite remarkable, defending himself."

"No thanks to you," James mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry about that." He jumped, nearly spilling the water can. He didn't think Minamino would hear him. "But I did it for good reason." Regaining control of the water can, James stared hard at the professor.

"He almost died. How can that be a good reason for anything?" Minamino gave him an apologetic smile.

"But you're grateful he didn't, aren't you?" James paused for a moment. He had to admit, having seen his father almost die changed a lot about how he felt. "To see a loved one on their deathbed changes everything," Minamino continued softly. "You'll find that there's nothing nearly as important as their survival."

"You haven't told me why you did it though," James pointed out accusingly.

"You're right. It was reckless of me, but I put my faith in your father. I believed that he would succeed, and he did." Minamino moved away from the plant he was trimming to kneel in front of James. "I wanted to show you how important your father was to you. I'm sorry." James gulped as he looked down at Professor Minamino's worried expression.

"It's fine," he sad hurriedly, turning away from his gaze. "Just don't do it again." Minamino gave a relived sigh, ruffling James' hair fondly.

"Thank you, James. Your friendship means a lot to me." James felt that the professor was acting a bit strange. What did he mean by friendship? He couldn't tell exactly, but at the moment he didn't want to feel even more awkward than he already was. So, he turned his back to the professor and continued his work.

"Can I still have that Chocolate Frog?"

"Of course."

* * *

That night in the dormitory, James excitedly passed on the Halloween party invitation to his roommates. "People are saying that his dad's gonna send in some Weasley products for us all too," he informed them with a grin.

"If there's anything of Weasley's, count me in," Nico replied. "My brother hasn't been sending me anything recently."

"Why not?" Jasper asked.

"He's angry that I won a bet we made about our parents," he responded vaguely.

"Sounds fishy," Brandon commented, poking Nico in the arm. "So James, what're you gonna dress up as?"

"I don't know yet," James said, falling onto his bed with a sigh. "I've never been to a Halloween party before." Brandon jumped from Nico's bed to James', poking his forehead.

"Ya don't 'afta 'ave been to one stupid," he said. "Ya just gotta think of what ya wanna be." James shoved him off the bed, but he quickly jumped up, striking a pose. "As for me, Imma be one o' dem super heroes they 'ave in the States!" The other four boys burst out laughing.

"Pfft, sounds stupid," Nico said.

"Yeah, why would you wanna be one of those freaks? You're better off as a leprechaun," Jasper suggested. Brandon growled, pouncing on Jasper to wrestle him down.

"Yeah, I'll go as a leprechaun if you go as a sparkly vampire!"

"Hell no!"

"You could throw glitter on him too," Nathan interjected through fits of laughter. "Get him a set of Weasley's Chompers!" Jasper somehow managed to throw Brandon off of him, and the two stood apart from each other trying to catch their breaths. Watching the two of them, James suddenly had an idea.

"I know, I'll be a werewolf," he said excitedly. The other four boys looked at him quizzically.

"Why a werewolf?" Nico asked. James shrugged.

"I don't know. First thing that popped into my head I guess."

"Sounds like a fun idea," Nathan said. "I think I'll be a pirate!"

"Hm, guess I'll go as a ninja."

"Imma be Superman!"

"A really scrawny Superman," Jasper muttered under his breath. Brandon jumped on him again, and their fight continued. Suddenly their door slammed open as Teddy stood in the doorway, his hair a fiery red.

"GET TO BED OR SO HELP ME I WILL HAVE YOU SCRUBBING THE TROPHY ROOM WITH YOUR OWN SPIT." The five boys scrambled over each other in a mad rush to their beds, ducking under the covers to hide from the Head Boy's wrath. Snorting like a raged bull, Teddy slammed the door back shut, and from the beds an uncontrollable wave of giggles rose to fill the room. It slowly quieted down into a murmur as they finally closed their eyes to sleep.

* * *

The next few days were spent in a frenzy as they gathered everything for their costumes. James asked Freddy to get him some of his father's Harry Canaries, and each night he secretly tried them out in the bathrooms to make sure he was ready for the party. Gaby had decided to be a zombie because she didn't want to wear anything new, and they had no idea what Angie was going to be for she kept it secret from them.

Finally it was Friday, and to the student's surprise some of the professors took to wearing costumes for the special occasion. Etheridge had transfigured the lower half of her body to be a snake's, and during the entire class she slithered behind people's backs to frighten them. One student had to go to the infirmary because he splashed some of the potion on his skin, and since then she decided not to scare them so badly. Doxwood refused to accept Halloween's customs and traditions, and instead of teaching his transfiguration lesson he lectured the students about the origin of the holiday and what it was truly meant to be. Minamino said he was dressed as a samurai, but the only way the students could tell was because of the sword he had tied to his side.

With one class left to suffer through, James sat anxiously in his seat. Professor Periwinkle was late (as usual), so he began talking excitedly to Gaby and Angie about his progress with his costume.

"You've really got it all planned out," Gaby commented as James was explaining his schedule of events.

"Well yeah, I don't want to be dancing naked," James retorted sarcastically. "Angie, are you sure you're going to have your costume done in time? I haven't seen you do anything."

"Don't worry about it," Angie reassured him with a smile. "I had Freddy help me out, and it's definitely easier than what you're doing."

"Not as cool though," James scoffed proudly.

"You haven't even seen it!" Angie cried out indignantly.

"Nothing's gonna be cooler than mine."

"Students!" Periwinkle announced as he marched hurriedly through the room. His pudgy legs were practically blurred together as he rushed to the front of the class. "Quiet down! I have a special guest for you!" The class groaned aloud. Periwinkle somehow managed to never teach the class, as he always brought in guests to do the talking. "No grumbling, this is important! This is her last lecture before returning to Japan, so pay attention because it won't be repeated! Miss Kuroko, the floor is yours."

A tall, thin woman with straight jet-black hair entered the classroom. She wore a standard witch's cloak, but underneath it James could see she was actually wearing Muggle's clothing. She peered over the classroom full of students, as if analyzing her surroundings with a single glance. "Hello," she said with a soft voice. "I will be giving you a lecture on demons today."

"Demons?" Angie whispered. The students' voices rose in volume with questions and remarks.

"You heard me correctly," she said assertively, quieting the hushed tones of the class. "Now, I'm aware you've already been given a lecture by Genkai, so let's see what you know. How many ranks are there for a demon's power?" Gaby raised her hand slowly in the air, and Kuroko pointed a delicate finger her way. "Go ahead."

"There's E, D, C, A, and S."

"Correct."

"Very good Ms. Wadsworth!" Periwinkle cheered obnoxiously, clapping his hands together. "5 points to Gryffindor." Kuroko gave him a warning glare, annoyed at being interrupted.

"If I may, professor."

"Ah, yes, sorry about that," Periwinkle replied sheepishly.

"A demon can be called a creature," Kuroko continued, "or even a beast. However, it is important to understand that they cannot be treated as so. You wouldn't treat a tiger like a house cat, and neither should you try to treat a demon like a common animal." James raised his hand.

"Miss Kuroko, I don't understand," he said nervously, trying to find the right words. "Are you saying that demons are like people?"

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying." James gulped, yet raised his hand again.

"Then what makes them any more dangerous than us?" Kuroko gave him a small smile.

"You may be able to destroy a toy you're angry at. But demons can destroy lives, countries, even worlds if they wanted to. And there's little that stands in their way."

"Then what can we do to protect ourselves?" James asked. "You're making it sound as if we have no chance." Kuroko's face darkened as her smile disappeared.

"Your only chance is to run. At your level, there is nothing that can protect you from a demon." James swallowed hard at the sudden reality of the situation. If demons were so dangerous, why is it that no one in the wizarding world knew about it? And why were they so ill prepared?

* * *

Harry sat in McGonagall's office once again with the four foreigners, who were standing restlessly to the side. "Hey Pops," Yusuke said cordially. Harry nodded his head in acknowledgment, looking over them with a quizzical eye.

"What are you wearing Shuichi?" he asked incredulously at the professor's outfit.

"It's a simple practice uniform used by bushido practitioners in Japan," he replied calmly. "Samurai would often wear these clothes when learning the way of the sword."

"I'm not sure what that means, but I'll take your word for it," Harry said, knowing very little about Japan's culture. He looked over to Kuwabara, who he had met briefly, eyeing his Frankenstein costume warily. At least he could recognize it. "Why are we all here?"

"That is what I would like to know," McGonagall said, appearing from the rising staircase. "As you requested, Shuichi, I've asked Harry to join us."

"Thank you, Headmistress," Shuichi said while bowing. McGonagall simply huffed as she sat in her seat.

"Well, let's get this over with," she muttered. "I've a feast to prepare for."

"Right, we got a letter from the ruler of the Demon World," Yusuke said, throwing a folded paper onto McGonagall's desk. She shot him a glare, but opened the letter wordlessly.

"Read it please," she said with a sigh, handing the letter to Shuichi.

"Yusuke and friends," he began to read aloud, translating the letter. "It is without a doubt in my mind that this demon you speak of, Crucias, is residing in the Land of Ghosts. I'm sure you are aware of its reputation and understand my hesitation with the investigation. However, for the sake of our friendship I will continue to investigate. Yomi and his son, Shura, have volunteered to explore the area. I wish them the best of luck, and upon their return will send a follow up report to you. Hope you're having fun in England! I hear the castles are amazing there. Enki."

"You didn't have to read the end of it," McGonagall said irritably. "When did this letter arrive?"

"Last week," Yusuke said.

"And you didn't think to inform me then?"

"Oops." The headmistress sighed loudly, rubbing her forehead with her delicate fingers.

"What is the Land of Ghost?" Harry asked.

"Beats me," Kuwabara muttered.

"Yeah, fox boy's the guy you wanna ask," Yusuke said while gesturing to Shuichi. Everyone turned to him expectantly.

"The Land of Ghosts," Shuichi began, "was a relatively small area in the demon world that was there since the world's creation. Any demon foolish enough to pass through the mist surrounding it never returned, even S-class demons. No one knows why or how, but suddenly it began to expand its borders, and the mist devoured everything it came into contact with." Harry could hear a rattling sound, and he looked over to see Kuwabara's teeth chattering. Even Yusuke's face was dark as he stared down at the floor. "A very powerful demon at the time, Raizen, entered the mist to stop it from enveloping the entire Demon World. And he succeeded."

"But how?" Harry cut in. Shuichi shrugged his shoulders.

"We don't know."

"You don't know?" McGonagall said harshly, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"As far as I am aware, he never said a word to anyone about it. But whatever he did in there stopped the expansion, and in a frenzied fear the remaining demons created a wall around it."

"I don't care about that," McGonagall snapped. "What I want to know is how this is connected to Crucias."

"Well Headmistress," Shuichi replied patiently. "The expansion that happened in the demon world began shortly after Crucias was thrown through the Veil, as you like to call it." The room fell silent as everyone made the connection.

"When should we be expecting the next report?" McGonagall asked.

"Dunno yet," Yusuke said.

"Assuming they come back alive," Hiei interjected harshly, "which they won't."

"Let's try to be optimistic, Hiei," Shuichi said calmly. McGonagall sighed again.

"Then it seems this conversation is over." She stood up from her desk. "Now, if you all don't mind leaving I have some things to attend to." Shuichi bowed respectfully as the others simply left. Harry briefly managed to catch Hiei's image disappear through a window, but before he could ask Shuichi about it the professor had approached the headmistress. "Yes?" she asked briskly.

"Pardon me, I'd like to ask for your permission to have Harry join us in the All Hallow's Eve feast tonight." Harry was touched that Shuichi had considered him. McGonagall looked up at him with pure annoyance. She was particularly irritable today.

"Of course he can join you, I've already invited him for the day haven't I?" she snapped. Shuichi smiled, bowing again.

"Thank you." McGonagall muttered under her breath, and Harry couldn't tell if she was cursing or not. "The feast is about to begin, shall we get you in costume?" Shuichi asked Harry with a grin.

"Costume? Oh no, I'm quite alright without one, thanks."

"Nonsense," Shuichi replied, still grinning. "A costume's half the fun." He gripped Harry's shoulders with surprising strength, leading him down the winding staircase. Yusuke and Kuwabara were still standing by the gargoyle. "Yusuke, you need to get into costume."

"Way ahead of ya Kurama," the boy said with a wicked grin. "Hagrid's setting me up with something. Which reminds me, gotta go get ready."

"Why are you all so interested in costumes?" Harry asked grudgingly. "I know you're just barely adults now, but haven't you grown out of it yet?"

"Are you kidding?" Kuwabara exclaimed loudly. "We don't ever celebrate Halloween back home!"

"Besides," Yusuke added, "who doesn't want to be themselves for a day?" Harry thought about what he said as he watched Yusuke walk off.

"See ya at the hall Kurama, Filch wants to see me before the feast," Kuwabara said. Shuichi nodded, pushing the slightly bemused Auror down the halls.

"Now, let's see what we can make out of you," Shuichi commented excitedly, and Harry felt a small twinge of fear at his prospects.

"Let the feasts begin!" The empty tables in the Great Hall filled with an array of fabulous foods, drinks, and Halloween decorations. The All Hallow's Eve feast could only be matched by the Start-of-Term feast, though James knew that the kitchens had clearly outdone themselves. There were turkeys and hams glittered with honey and seasonings, large pots of savory potato leek soup, mincemeat pies, and bowls upon bowls of roasted potatoes, brussels sprouts, and bread rolls.

Gaby quickly grabbed the vegetables while Angie made a mad dash for the ham, so James reached for whatever was closest, piling it onto his plate. Floating above their heads were massive pumpkin jack 'o lanterns that the third years had carved in charms class, and their flickering candles filled the entire hall with a warm light. He looked towards the staff table and stifled a laugh upon seeing his father wearing a ridiculously yellow feathered hat with a large beak protruding from the front. He could only assume that Minamino had coaxed him into wearing a costume, but couldn't even begin to guess what he was supposed to be. Similarly, Kuwabara was covered in a sickly green color and looking like his body had been sewn together, and sitting next to him was something James could only describe as a pile of seaweed with a horse head.

"What the bloody hell are they supposed to be?" James said aloud. Gaby paused mid bite, looking across the hall to the staff table.

"I'm guessing Kuwabara's Frankenstein, and you're dad's some sort of... bird?"Angie scoffed, nearly choking on her food.

"And Urameshi? At least, I think that's him." James said hesitantly, pointing to the pile of seaweed.

"I have no idea," Gaby stated flat out.

"I think he's trying to be a kelpie," Nathan suggested from across the table.

"Trying is the keyword," Angie muttered under her breath.

"What are those?"

"They're like horses that live in the sea."

"...huh." James looked back at the four of them, trying to make sense of it all. He could see many of the other professors eye balling them with malicious glares as they kept their plates far away from Urameshi's seaweed outfit.

"Don't try to think about it so much." Angie commented, nudging James with her elbow. He gave his father a halfhearted smile, which remained unnoticed. He saw that Harry was desperately trying to find a moment to rip the silly headdress off, but at every chance he thought he had Minamino would turn to him, and so it remained on his head for the entirety of dinner.

Once the feast was over, the Gryffindors practically bolted from their seats as they rushed back to their common room. Teddy tried vainly to control the flow of traffic as the Fat Lady hollered and bellowed at him for keeping her portrait open. James found himself caught snugly between two fifth years before they recognized him and swiftly moved aside. "James! Over here!" cried Nathan, as his small body sank beneath the wave of students. James reached out for his hand and pulled hard.

"Excuse me!" James shouted over the excited crowd, holding tightly to Nathan's wrist and keeping his face up so that others could recognize him. It seemed being "The Great Harry Potter's Son" had its perks. Finally making it to the dormitory staircase, they met up with Nico, who was already heading down. He had wrapped up his tall body with black cloth, his jet black hair tied back in a low ponytail. "You're gonna miss the fun if you take too long," he mumbled through the cloth over his mouth.

"We'll be right there!" Having gotten used to the climb, it only took a matter of moments for them to arrive at their door.

"I'm so excited," Nathan said happily as he pulled on his striped pants. "I've never been to a costume party before."

"Me neither," James replied, practically ripping his clothes in his haste. From underneath his bed he pulled out a box of Harry Canaries and poured the contents into his pocket, save one. If he wanted to stay furry, he was going to have to keep eating them. He tossed the candy into his mouth, feeling the familiar shiver run over his skin as the small hairs grew, covering his body with fur. He then placed the set of Chompers in his mouth, making sure they were in place. Behind him, Nathan had finished putting on the last of his costume, an eye patch that covered his left eye. Turning towards each other, they grinned like idiots and opened the door to the staircase. Already they could hear the loud cheering and shouting that came from the common room six floors below. "Where's Brandon and Jasper?!"

"I don't know!" Nathan shouted in his small voice. They tramped down the stairs in a hurry, and upon arriving at the common room paused in sheer amazement. Red and gold banners hung from the tall ceiling, and James was pretty sure that the pumpkins floating above their heads had been swiped from the Great Hall. Confetti rained down on the crowd continuously, disappearing just as they hit the floor, as music was blasting from a phonograph in the corner. There was a constant buzzing of Aviatomobiles as they weaved and dodged pumpkins and Fanged Frisbees that whizzed through the air. Freddy had, quite literally, turned the common room into his father's joke shop. "Wow, look at all this stuff!"

"Do you see anybody!?" James asked, trying to look over the heads.

"I think I see Gaby! This way!" They pushed their way through the crowd until finally they found themselves pinned by the fireplace. Gaby was sitting alone on the couch awkwardly next to some older students who were deep in conversation. She wore her usual clothes which she had splattered with blood, and her skin had been enchanted to look like a dull gray.

"Hi guys," she said with a half smile. "Nice costumes."

"You too, where's Angie?"

"Over here." James turned around, but all he saw was a body with no head.

"ANGIE WHERE DID YOUR HEAD GO."

"Relax," she said through her laughter, raising her hand up to grasp something above her empty space of a head. She pulled it off, and her head immediately became visible, along with the hat gripped in her hand. "I've been decapitated," she said with a grin. "Freddy got me a Headless Hat from his dad, pretty cool, right?"

"Guess so," James mumbled, feeling embarrassed for having been so worked up. The other students on the couch got up to dance, so James and Nathan eagerly stole their seats.

"Found ya!" Brandon climbed over the back of the sofa, squeezing in between Nathan and James. He was wearing a gaudy green suit, and from his mouth protruded a Puffer. The strange pipe lit itself on fire at random intervals, spewing flames from the chamber, making Brandon's face light up. "Likin' the fur," he said with a grin, giving James a thumbs up.

"I thought you were going to be Superman?" Nathan asked. Brandon shrugged.

"Eh, this was a wee bit easier ta come by." Jasper suddenly appeared in front of them, wearing nothing but a pair of pants. His skin was glittering like a disco ball, and he looked down at Brandon with a wide, fanged smirk. "Well, lookit what the wolf dragged in!"

"Shut it, leprechaun."

"What're you all doing here?" Freddy cried out to them from behind the sofa. "There's a party going on for Peeves' sake!"

"It's kind of hard to move around though," Gaby said dejectedly. "There's so many people."

"How did you manage to get the pumpkins from the Great Hall?" Jasper asked excitedly. Freddy gave him a wicked grin.

"Oh I didn't do that. Oi! Becca! Get over here!" From the crowd a cloaked figure whipped around, spotting them over the many heads of others. She pushed and poked her way through, giving them a lopsided grin.

"Well hey there," she said amicably, trying to push the cloak's hood from her face. "Who we got here?"

"This is my cousin, James," Freddy introduced. "Becca's the one who brought the pumpkins over."

"How'd you do it?" Angie asked. She began to open her mouth to say more but suddenly stopped as her eyes looked past them into the crowd.

"Yes, how did you?" Teddy's voice remarked coldly. "I'd really love to know." He had transformed his head into that of a bull, making him even more intimidating as he bore down on them. Everyone turned to look at him with guilty eyes as Freddy and Becca slowly backed away.

"Um..."

"About that."

"Look at the time! Gotta go!" They dove into the crowd, disappearing among the masses.

"FREDDY YOU KNOW DAMN WELL HALF THESE PRODUCTS ARE BANNED HERE!" Teddy roared at them. He sighed, not even bothering to give chase. Looking down at James, he gave a disgruntled snort. "Not cool, James."

"Right, sorry," James muttered, trying to make himself smaller. Teddy snorted again, but didn't say anymore as he melted back into the crowd.

"What was that about?" Gaby asked.

"His dad was a werewolf," James told them.

"Oh."

"I still think you look good," Nathan encouraged. James gave him a small smile.

"Thanks." The conversation died as the first years looked around at the party.

"Now what?" Brandon asked, pushing flames out of his Puffer with a bored expression. James stood up on the couch, looking over the crowd.

"I see some candies over by the tables," he told them. "I think Nico's there too."

"No doubt swiping some for later," Jasper commented. James jumped off the couch, trying to push his way through the packed group of students that were dancing to a song by the band Peeved. He was glad they weren't playing any of the Weird Sisters' music, which his mom liked to blast in the house while cooking.

Finally making it to the other side of the room, he spotted Nico furiously stuffing candies into whatever crevice he could find in his outfit. "Hey Nico, got enough there?" he asked, raising a brow. Nico glanced at him suspiciously, but it was hard to tell what he really meant by it.

"I'm just getting a few things," he replied back carefully. From behind him a tall, dark hooded figure engulfed him in a shadow. James, Gaby, and Angie inched away from the ridiculously tall person who just hovered over Nico, staring down at him. James couldn't believe anyone was taller than Nico, and yet this guy stood a head taller than him.

"Can you move? I'm trying to get some candy and you're hogging it all," a deep voice said, reaching out to push him aside. James could tell Nico was having a hard time accepting someone taller than him, but nevertheless allowed himself to be pushed aside. "And put back the candy you stole, other people want to eat it too." Wordlessly Nico pulled out his stash, returning it back to the table.

"Sorry," he managed to squeak, running away quickly.

"Andrew, you made it!" Becca said happily, jumping onto the hooded figure's back. He stumbled, barely holding his balance as his hood slipped off, and James could see his slanted, Asian eyes. Another one? "I thought you and Michael got lost."

"It's fine," he said, trying to make himself comfortable with the sudden weight forced upon him. "Some guy was trying to steal candy."

"Really? Who?" Becca asked, looking over the crowd. She then noticed James. "Did you see it happen?"

"Kind of?" James replied vaguely. Andrew glanced down at him, then back up at Becca.

"He put them back, so it should be fine." He shifted Becca around, and that's when James noticed his blue and bronze tie.

"You're a Ravenclaw!" he exclaimed loudly. Becca jumped from Andrew's back, covering his mouth with her hand.

"Shh! Don't let Teddy know!" she whispered fiercely. James nodded, and she removed her hand.

"But why'd ya sneak a Ravenclaw in?" Brandon asked.

"What if you get caught?!" Nathan cried out. Becca grinned.

"What're they gonna do, expel me?" she said haughtily. "It's fine, we haven't been caught yet. But Andrew, you really shouldn't be wearing that tie."

"Sorry, forgot to take it off," he mumbled, reaching up to untie it.

"At least you're not wearing your vest. Which reminds me, I need to make sure Michael took his off too."

"Another Ravenclaw?" Angie asked.

"Nope. Hufflepuff." She ran off, leaving Andrew standing there awkwardly with the group of first years huddled around him.

"How'd ya sneak in?"

"I thought this was a Gryffindor party!"

"You're Japanese, right?" Andrew gave James a confused look.

"I'm Korean," he replied in his deep voice. James looked to Gaby and Angie with confused looks.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Not all Asians are Japanese," Nathan said. "Why did you think that?"

"Well, I kind of did too," Angie remarked. Without warning the entire tower shook violently, causing everyone to fall to the floor. The chandelier lights flickered, but held steady as the students stood up, looking around wildly. Those who were close to the windows rushed to see if there was anything outside. James tried standing up, but it was difficult to move against the crowd that pushed him back against the wall. He could see the other first years having similar problems. From above him a large hand picked him up by the collar, propping him up on his feet. It was Andrew.

"Get away from the crowd," he said, heading towards Nathan. To his left James could see Angie helping Gaby up. He managed to squeeze his way to them, settling into a position where the twins had enough room to stand. The tower shook again, but this time they managed to stay on their feet.

"What's going on?!" Angie shouted over the noise.

"I don't know!"

"EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING," Macmillan's amplified voice bellowed. All heads turned to the professor, who stood by the entrance. "Prefects, please lead the students to the Great Hall! Mr. Lupin, with me." Within moments Teddy was by her side, following her out of the common room. James briefly saw that his hair had turned a copper orange, a sign that he was nervous.

"You heard the professor!" a prefect shouted over their heads. "Pair up and form two lines!"

"James!" Nathan called out. James turned around to see Andrew pushing the first year towards them.

"What're you going to do!?" James asked him. "If they find you here you'll get in serious trouble!"

"Don't worry about it," Andrew replied gruffly, shoving Nathan with a firm hand. Nathan tumbled into James, who barely managed to catch him. When he looked up, Andrew had disappeared.

"James we have to go!" Gaby shouted at him. The crowd was thinning in the common room as the students left through the portrait of the Fat Lady. James grabbed Nathan by the wrist and slipped into the line behind the twins.

"Are you guys ok?" Nathan asked them.

"We're fine, what about you? Your face has a red spot," Gaby replied, pointing to his left cheek. Nathan raised a hand to touch it gently.

"I got kicked."

"What are we going to do?" Angie asked. "Do you think the earthquake was caused by the demons?"

"Demons!? Here at Hogwarts?" Nathan asked incredulously. "Why would they be here?"

"Hush!" James whispered hurriedly as the prefects ran by them. "We don't know why they're here, but it's why my dad's here too." Nathan's worried face broke into a sigh of relief.

"It's a good thing you're dad's here then." James nodded, but in his heart he felt the same twinge of fear he had when he saw his father thrown at the Whomping Willow. A tree was very different from a demon, and he hoped his dad would remember that.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you again for your continued reading and support! A quick update, I'll be going to a convention in San Jose so there won't be a chapter update next week. *bows* So sorry!

As I've said before, feedback is very much appreciated! I love to read all of the comments that are left behind, and you are more than welcome to ask any questions you may have. With that said, please enjoy!

* * *

Harry had only just arrived at his temporary home in Hogsmeade when he felt the tremors beneath his feet. Like everyone else, he dashed outside, his eyes set on Hogwarts. A fiery explosion erupted from what he remembered as the Quidditch Pitch, and he could see flaming debris raining down on the castle. Swearing loudly, he Apparated as close as he could to Hogwarts, arriving at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Above him, he could see a herd of Thestrals flying east to avoid the blasts. Pointing his wand at them, he shouted "Carpe Retractum!" A thin rope flew from the tip of his wand, snagging itself on a Thestral. It cried out with a horrified screech as Harry pulled it down to the ground.

"Sorry, I really am," he said to the creature, petting its dark, bony head. "But I need to get somewhere, will you help me?" The Thestral eyed him with its empty, white eyes before snorting mulishly, turning its body to allow Harry access. "Thanks." He jumped onto the Thestral's back with little trouble, settling himself in front of the creature's wing joints. "To the Quidditch Pitch!" The Thestral shrieked, breaking into a run as it extended its wings out. Harry felt a rush as their bodies soon became weightless in the sky. It had been many years since he had flown over the castle, and on any other day he might have enjoyed the ride. But tonight his eyes were focused on the crumbling stands of the pitch.

The Thestral landed a good distance away from the pitch, not wanting to go any further. Harry couldn't blame the poor thing, so he leaped off and ran the rest of the way. And as he got closer, he could hear loud cracks in the air, as if a group of wizards were Apparating one by one. In the sky above him he caught glimpses of two figures clashing, light bouncing off of them like bolts of lightning. He had his wand at the ready, but with no clue on what the situation was there was little he could do but watch helplessly.

"Harry! It's not safe here!" Shuichi's voice called out to him. Turning around he could see the professor running towards him, Yusuke not far behind.

"What's going on!?" Harry asked, gesturing wildly above him. "I can't see a thing!"

"I wouldn't expect you to," Shuichi replied. He glanced up at the sky with a worried expression. "Hiei isn't doing so well," he muttered. Yusuke followed Shuichi's gaze, his eyes narrowed in focus.

"You better stand back Pops. This could get ugly."

"That's Hiei up there!?"

"Well, Hiei and another demon," Shuichi said. "Yusuke's right, Harry. You need to leave this to us. Your magic won't be able to help you in this fight." Harry felt angry and frustrated for being so useless, but he knew that Shuichi was right. Looking back up, he knew there was no way he could pull the two of them apart and survive.

"Fine," he said bitterly, clenching his wand tightly. Shuichi gave him an apologetic smile before leaping into the air. Yusuke turned to Harry with a grin.

"We'll have this over before you can say kwiddit," he said reassuringly before following Shuichi.

"It's Quidditch, you idiot!" Harry shouted after him, rubbing his forehead to ease the tension building in his head. He couldn't tell if Yusuke had heard him or not, but at this point it didn't really matter. Staring hard at the sky, he tried desperately to make sense of the chaos.

A bright flash of yellow burst across the sky, and Harry could faintly see a small shape drop to the ground. Ignoring Shuichi's advice, he ran towards the landing point to see what it was. He stopped short at the edge of a small crater, shocked. In the center of the crater lay a small child with long, imp-like ears. From his forehead sprouted a single, short horn, and his clothes showed significant wear and tear from battle.

Suddenly he couldn't see the child anymore as Shuichi's body blocked his view, his back facing Harry. "I told you to stay back," Shuichi said calmly, his gaze held firmly on the child.

"It's just a boy Shuichi!" Harry said angrily, pointing at the small, frail looking body. "How do you expect me to sit back as you murder a child!?" He fell silent as Shuichi glanced back at him over his shoulder. The composure that Harry had grown accustomed to was now gone, replaced with a cold, hardened gaze.

Yusuke approached the kid, reaching down to grip his tunic. Hiei and Shuichi stood on either side, watching carefully. With one hand he raised the body into the air. "Alright you shitty demon, talk. I wanna know what you did with Yomi and why you're in his brat's body." The boy's bright pink eyes slowly opened, and his lips widened into a smirk.

"_Why, if it isn't Mr. Yusuke Urameshi himself._" Harry's entire body shook with fear at the deep, acidic voice that poured from the boy's mouth. It certainly did not belong to a child, and Harry was grateful that Shuichi had been there to stop him. "_Truly, I'm honored to be in your presence._"

"Funny enough, I don't get that a whole lot," Yusuke replied back icily, his grip unrelenting. "I take it you're the guy who started this whole mess." The boy's hollowed eyes rolled up in thought.

"_I suppose it really depends on which mess you're referring to._" Harry couldn't see any motion, but in less than a second the boy had been pushed deep into the earth. Yusuke stood above him threateningly.

"Listen up asshole! Yomi's a pal of mine and so is his kid, so you better cough up something useful or I'm gonna rip you a new one!" The boy raised his hands up in surrender.

"_You don't have to shout,_" he remarked with an annoyed tone. "_You can't imagine how difficult it is to find a suitable non-demon body in the Demon Realm._"

"And Yomi?" Yusuke pressed. The boy smiled, revealing a row of finely honed fangs.

"_He's dead, of course._"

* * *

"The explosions stopped," Angie mentioned as she craned her head to listen. James lifted his head from his arms, looking out the window. Above the heads of the students sitting quietly in the Great Hall, he could see the night sky through the windows. The light show that had been visible earlier was gone as well.

"Do you think it's over?" Gaby asked quietly. James shrugged.

"I can't see anything." They looked towards the front of the hall, where all the staff were standing guard protectively. The Headmistress was pacing back and forth between the students, making sure they remained quiet. Professor Etheridge stood by her Slytherin students, reassuring them. Macmillan was also making rounds among her students, though she wasn't as comforting to them as Etheridge was.

The doors to the hall creaked and groaned loudly, revealing the apprentice caretaker Kuwabara. He was breathing heavily as he shut the doors behind him. McGonagall briskly walked to him, grabbing his shoulder and whispering hurriedly.

"What are they talking about?" Gaby asked.

"Don't know. You guys got an Extendable Ear on you by any chance?" Angie reached into her pockets, fishing out an array of Weasley products.

"You're lucky I keep them with me for times like these," she said proudly, handing him the ear. He nodded his thanks, attaching the string to his ear. He pulled out his wand, aiming it carefully.

"Wingardium Leviosa," he whispered softly. The ear floated delicately in the air, and with some concentrated effort James managed to push it forward. With his wand tip, he guided the ear past the students, almost hitting a sleeping Hufflepuff in the face. Wincing, he regained his control and gave it one final push, setting the ear behind McGonagall's feet.

"Is it true?" he heard McGonagall say in a hushed tone.

"Can't really say for sure right now," Kuwabara replied. "We'll have to wait until it's all over."

"Who's out there right now?"

"All three of them. I stayed behind to keep you guys safe."

_Three?_ James looked around at the remaining staff members. He saw Flitwick, Etheridge, Macmillan, Hagrid, and even the nurse Madam Wainscott. But as he twisted and turned in his seat, he couldn't find Minamino, Urameshi, or even his father among the staff.

"What is it?" Gaby asked. James gave up looking for them, his face downcast with worry.

"McGonagall sent three people to take care of it."

"Who?"

"Minamino, Urameshi, and my dad." Gaby raised a hand over her mouth.

"Are you sure?!" she asked hurriedly.

"It has to be them! Do you see them anywhere here in the hall?" James reasoned.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" Angie asked, looking back out the window. James stared hard at the floor, his thoughts running wildly in his head. "It has to be demons," she mused aloud.

"You thought so too?"

"If there's demons out there," Gaby said slowly, "then they have no idea what they're dealing with." James looked up at her, horror filling his eyes.

"We have to warn them," he said, sitting up straight. Gaby's eyes widened in shock.

"But how? And even if we did, then what?" she argued. "No, it's better to stay in here where it's safe."

"At least if they know that it's demons, they can be better prepared to run!" James replied hotly. He turned to Angie, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm kind of with Gaby on this one," she said. "I'd rather not get killed by a demon today." James clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Fine! If you guys won't go, I will!" He crawled a little distance away from them, racking his brain to come up with a plan to escape. No matter what, he had to warn his father. Looking around, his eyes fell on Angie's pile of Weasley products. "Angie, you wouldn't happen to have a Whiz-bang in that pile, would you?"

"And why would you need one of those?" she asked, her eyes peering at him suspiciously.

"I need a distraction so I can get out. Will you help me?" The twins glanced at each other as if having a silent conversation. Finally, Gaby rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh.

"We are going to be in so much trouble," she moaned.

"You have to admit, that's half the fun," Angie said with a smirk, putting away all her things except one. "But we can't be the ones to light it. Someone has to do it from the other side."

"You're coming with me?"

"Of course we are, can't let a friend go alone can we?" Gaby told him. James couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"Who's going to light it then?" Angie asked impatiently.

"Allow me," Becca suddenly said, creeping up beside them. "You guys need to start whispering more quietly."

"You heard us?" She grinned.

"Only the important stuff. Hand it over, I'll light this place up like Christmas Eve." Angie gave her a small, thick rocket with a fuse attached to it. Becca took it gingerly in her hands, admiring it with excitement. "I've always wanted to light one of these babies."

"It looks really small," Gaby commented wistfully. "Are you sure it's going to be enough?"

"Believe me, Gaby, that one rocket is plenty."

"You sure you're ok with this?" James asked Becca. She waved his worry aside, her eyes never leaving the firework.

"Trust me, with this you'd be doing me a favor." Pocketing it in her robe very carefully, she began to scoot on all fours, first blending in with the Ravenclaws, then finally the Slytherins on the other side of the hall. From a distance they watched as she positioned it to stand in the corner of the hall, lighting the fuse with her wand. Then, she made a mad dash for the Gryffindors, startling some of the Slytherins nearby.

In a single, bright flash thousands upon thousands of lights scattered across the midnight sky of the Great Hall, bursting into a wide array of colors. The Slytherins screamed, bolting from their seats as the fire crackers showered over them. Some of the fireworks formed bright pink wheels that collided into sparkling silver stars, erupting into dragons that snaked and slithered along the students threateningly. Other fireworks plastered themselves against the walls spelling out an assortment of profanity, some of which James had never even heard of.

"Come on, we've got to go!" Angie shouted at him, grabbing his hand and pulling him along towards the door. Gaby was already there, motioning for them to hurry. As the staff began shouting and cursing, the three of them silently slipped through the doors, completely unnoticed.

* * *

Harry felt the strange sensation of floating before landing yards away on the ground. It was only then he realized Shuichi had pushed him away, and for good reason. Yusuke was furiously punching the earth beneath him, not even caring about the rubble that flew by him. The place where Harry had been standing was crumbling from the sheer force of power. Harry assumed that the boy was still trapped underneath the barrage of fists that drilled him into the ground. Then, Yusuke was sent flying into the air, having been kicked by the boy's foot. A chilled laugh echoed from the crater as the boy gave chase. Harry couldn't keep up with their blows and gave up with a frustrated sigh.

Shuichi appeared by his side, offering him a hand. "What's going on?" Harry asked as Shuichi pulled him up from the ground. "Who is the boy and why is he here?" Shuichi continued to watch the fight carefully as he spoke.

"I was sure you would've guessed by now," he said quietly. Harry's eyes widened.

"It can't be..."

"I'm afraid so. Somehow Crucias has remained alive since being thrown into the Veil." Harry immediately returned his attention to the fight, trying to desperately make sense of the chaos. Once again the sky was filled with a cracking sound as they attacked each other without reserve. It was too quick for Harry to know who was who, but as he squinted his eyes he could faintly see two distinct colors, blue and red. "He doesn't have a body of his own. I'm surprised he's managed to live this long."

"But how can he be here?" Harry demanded. Shuichi frowned.

"He's possessed Yomi's son."

"See? I told you they wouldn't come back alive," Hiei said matter-of-factly, appearing beside Shuichi. "You were right from the start, Kurama." He threw off his black cloak, revealing a similarly black outfit with white belts. "It's not a problem though. That brat's demon energy makes him unstable enough for us to kill him quickly."

"You're going to help him?" Shuichi asked. Hiei glanced at him with an annoyed expression, drawing his blade before disappearing.

"What is he talking about?" Harry demanded.

"Because of Yomi's less-than perfect clone, he was the only body Crucias could get in the Demon Realm," Shuichi told him. "But he is very weak. Already the body is beginning to deteriorate from the imbalanced energies."

"That's a good thing?"

"For us, yes. With luck, this fight will be over quickly." Harry returned his attention to the sky, noticing now a deep, almost black light crashing into the red one.

"Why are there so many different lights?" he asked, squinting his eyes to try and see better. Shuichi looked down at him in surprise.

"You can see them?"

"A little. Not a whole lot." Watching carefully, he deduced that Crucias was the red light, and knowing that Hiei was the black one it only left Yusuke as the blue. And from the looks of it, Crucias was losing.

* * *

"This way!" James whispered to them as he bolted through the archway and onto the grassy courtyard. Above him he could see light flashing brilliantly across the sky in muddled hues of red, blue and black.

"Is that the demon up there?" Gaby asked, trying to catch her breath.

"We're almost there, let's keep moving!" The three of them pushed onwards, the only sounds they could hear being the cracks in the sky and their hurried breaths.

"Wait!" Angie said suddenly, throwing her arm out to stop them. Ahead of them they could see a bolt of red lightning shooting down to the ground with a loud CRACK! Smoke rose up in small whisps from the tiny hole in the earth.

"_As I thought, you smell like him._" The voice felt cold, like a dead man's lullaby, and James instinctively stepped back, clutching his chest in a vain attempt to protect himself. "_This body won't be enough._" Urameshi landed on top of the crater, pointing his finger downwards like a gun.

"It's the last body you're gonna get," he growled. James heard a shrill, high-pitched tone that sounded much like a space gun toy he had when he was little.

"What's he doing?" James asked.

"I don't know."

"Any last words?" Urameshi said. The noise was getting louder.

"_Oh I certainly don't, but they might._" A small hand rose from the ground, pointing a sharp claw towards the three of them. Urameshi turned his head, locking eyes with James with shock and horror.

"RUN!" Everything happened so quickly that James didn't even have time to move. In front of him stood Professor Minamino with his back towards them, arms outstretched. Beneath his cloak James could see a small lump on his left shoulder blade that churned with a sickening gurgle. Minamino coughed violently, collapsing on his knees.

"James, you... shouldn't be here," Minamino choked out, gripping his chest. The lump on his back drenched his cloak with an oozing liquid.

"Kurama get out of there!" James reached out slowly to touch his shoulder, but the face of a foreign boy appeared. It almost looked human, save for its long pointed ears and short horn on its forehead. Murky pink eyes stared at him with slightly parted lips, revealing bright, sharpened fangs.

"_This body will do. Thanks, kid._" James was paralyzed with fear. His breath caught in his throat and he began to choke as his lungs refused to work properly. He wanted to claw at his neck, but his hands remained useless at his side, and he could do nothing but stare horrified into the demon's hypnotic eyes.

"James!" He was ripped into reality by his father violently shaking him. His lungs kicked into gear and he took a deep, ragged breath, falling on the ground. "PROTEGO MAXIMA!" A small spherical bubble of green light shaped itself around Harry and the children. James felt light-headed and dizzy, but tried to prop himself up on his elbows for support. Through his blurred vision he could see Minamino standing up with a calm steadiness. "Get up James. We have to go!"

"But the professor-"

"Will you listen to me for once!" Harry snapped at him. James cringed at his father's harsh tone, falling silent. He didn't object as he felt Gaby and Angie tugging at his arms.

"Come on, James, we have to go," Gaby said quietly, gently pulling him up from the ground. He nodded slowly.

"Get them outta here Pops!" Urameshi yelled at him, watching Minamino carefully. But somehow James knew that it was no longer Minamino as he raised his hand up to his face, inspecting it carefully.

"_Hmm, it seems that I wasn't as successful as I had thought,_" he said with a grunt. "_Still, much better than the other one._" He pivoted in his spot, facing Harry. James gasped as he saw a gaping hole where Minamino's heart should've been. Instead, ribs were poking out at awkward angles with jagged breaks in them, and the tendons and muscles that had been ripped to shreds now hung loosely against his body. Blood poured out of the wound from behind his hand. "_A little snack should do the trick._" A bloodied hand reached out towards the bubble charm around them. Harry swept James into his arms, holding him tightly to his chest. Gaby and Angie tried hiding behind Harry's back.

But the hand never reached them. Instead, the shield charm burst outward, knocking the demon back hundreds of yards. James looked up at his father, who was sitting dumbfounded. "What're you waiting for Pops! Get the hell outta here!" Urameshi shouted. Regaining his senses, Harry shook his head and pushed Gaby and Angie forward, carrying James in his arms. Unable to fight the dizziness in his head, he closed his eyes and blacked out.

* * *

James woke up lying on his back, and as he gazed at the ceiling above him he realized he was in the Hospital Wing. His body felt sore and tired, but he forced it to sit up in bed.

"You're awake!" Nathan's voice cried out, and James felt a weight thrown over his lap. Grumbling, he tried to push him off with little success. "I thought you were dead!"

"I'm fine," he mumbled, rubbing his aching head. Trying to remember everything that happened, Minamino's face popped into his mind. He gasped, shoving Nathan off of him with new-found energy.

"Where's Professor Minamino?" he asked hurriedly.

"I don't know, no one's seen him since Halloween," Nathan replied quietly. "Why do you need him? You should be resti-"

"I have to make sure he's ok!" James shouted, jumping from the bed. He regretted it, for his knees collapsed beneath him and he tumbled to the floor.

"You've been out for three days," Nathan commented from the other side of the bed, his head propped up on the mattress.

"...Three days?" James looked down at his trembling body, frustrated at his inability to move. Minamino's bloodied chest surfaced in his mind, and fear took control of his frail body, paralyzing it. "Bloody hell!" he screamed angrily, causing Nathan to squeak in alarm. "Why won't you move!?" The Hospital Wing's doors flung open, and James whipped his head around to see McGonagall and Urameshi. Following them were both his father and mother, and upon seeing their son on the floor rushed to his side.

"Oh James, are you alright?" his mother said worriedly, scooping him into her arms.

"Mum! Why are you here?" Her soft brown eyes looked over every part of her son to make sure everything was in its proper place.

"Of course I'm here, you almost died!" she exclaimed, tears dripping down her cheeks. Satisfied that he was in good health, she clasped him to her bosom, hugging tightly. James felt comforted by the warm embrace, and he wrapped his arms around his mother, tears stinging his eyes. He had missed her terribly.

"Mr. Shimpling, you may go," McGonagall's voice cut in. Nathan nodded, practically running from his hiding spot to the doors. "Ginerva, I must insist you let the boy go so that I may speak." She nodded, releasing James from her arms. James reluctantly let her go, returning to his bed. McGonagall looked down at him with narrowed eyes. "What you did, James, was irresponsible, reckless, and stupid. Not only that, you endangered the lives of your fellow classmates." Her harsh words rang out in the Hospital Wing with precision and clarity. "And for that, it is my decision to expel you from Hogwarts." James' heart sank in his chest.

"But professor, I-" She raised a hand to quiet him.

"Not another word!" she snapped. "We do not encourage such rash, childish behavior in our students, and it will not be tolerated. However..." She let out a deep sigh. "The other professors have given me letters of recommendation filled with nothing but praise for the three of you. Even Professor Minamino's reports from your individual study halls reveal what an outstanding student you are." She glared down at him with her crinkled eyes. "So, _please_ help me understand why you would even _consider_ leaving the safety of the Great Hall to throw your life away!" James swallowed hard, trying to find his voice again.

"I was trying to warn my father," he whispered softly.

"And what, pray tell, were you trying to tell him?" James turned to his father, who nodded.

"That there were demons at Hogwarts." Without warning Urameshi erupted with laughter behind them. Everyone turned their gaze on him as he continued laughing, holding his sides.

"What a kid!" he managed to say through his laughter. "He's got us all figured out." Composing himself, he ruffled James' hair fondly. "See that? He was only trying to help out. Why don't you cut him a little slack?" McGongall huffed with annoyance.

"It's hardly your decision to make," she remarked at him before returning her attention to James. "With the overwhelming amount of praise you've received, I decided to veto my previous decision and allow you to stay at Hogwarts." James's face broke into a wide smile as he jumped from his bed.

"Thank you Headmistress!" he cried out happily.

"Sit down!" she barked, to which James immediately froze in place. "And compose yourself. You will not go without punishment. Rather than being expelled, you will serve a week of suspension, and Gryffindor will lose one hundred points." James' happy expression faltered. Taking away that many points would put them at dead last. But he knew he deserved it, and would rather earn them back than be expelled from Hogwarts.

"Thank you, professor," his father said with a smile. She snorted in response, but didn't say more as she left the Hospital Wing with Yusuke following behind her, presumably to go back to her office.

"Lay back down James," his mother said gently. "You need to get more rest." Following his mother's advice, James crawled underneath the covers as she pulled them up to his chin. Harry placed a comforting hand over James' forehead, giving his son a weary smile before standing up.

"I'll be back in a bit," he told James, lifting his hand away. James sat up in bed, propping himself up with his elbows.

"Dad, is Professor Minamino ok?" he asked. Harry paused in his steps, and James desperately wanted him to turn around and face him. He needed to know that Minamino was alive, and that his stupid mistake didn't cause any serious harm. But his father kept his face hidden from view, not even bothering to look at his son.

"We'll talk about it later," he mumbled.

"When?" James pressed. "I need to know if he's alright!"

"Another time, James." Harry's voice had grown hoarse, and before James could say anymore he left the Wing hurriedly. James felt a dull ache wash over him, and his eyes filled with tears. He rubbed them angrily with his arms, trying to make everything go away. But the pain, fear, and wretchedness that he felt swallowed him like water, making it hard for him to breath.

"My sweet boy..." Ginny laid herself on the bed beside him, wrapping her arms around her mourning son. James clung to her tightly, but the warmth he felt didn't make it any easier. She didn't say anything, but instead let him cry his heart out in her embrace.

* * *

When Harry reached the Headmistress' office, waiting by the steps were Yusuke and Kuwabara, their faces downcast. They joined in the silent march up the gargoyle staircase. Upon entering the office, he was surprised to see Koenma and Hiei already there. As he looked around the room, Shuichi's absence tore at his heart. He regretted that he didn't take the time to know him more, or the chance to even thank him for saving his son.

"Do we know where he is?" McGonagall asked, her voice cracking from exhaustion.

"He's camping out in the woods, and he knows we're watching," Hiei said curtly from the window.

"So now what do we do?" Harry asked. "We can't let Shuichi die in vain."

"He didn't die," Koenma cut in. Harry looked up with confusion.

"He didn't? But the boy he possessed earlier-"

"Is also still alive, and recovering. We've returned him to the Demon World, and it looks as if he'll make a complete recovery." Koenma glanced at Yusuke. "Yomi sends his thanks, for saving his son."

"Yeah, not a problem," he muttered darkly. It was the first time Harry had seen Yusuke with such a serious expression.

"So he's still alive?" Harry said to himself, trying to make himself believe it to be true.

"Yeah, I can still sense him nearby," Kuwabara said, looking out the window. "But its really faint, almost like a dying candle."

"Kurama is very resourceful," Koenma mentioned. "I'm sure he was already prepared for it."

"He was." All eyes turned to Hiei expectantly. "Kurama already told me everything. He knew that whatever was in the mist was killing demons through possession."

"A demon can posses another demon?" Harry asked.

"They can't," Koenma stated firmly, shaking his head. "The imbalance of the energies causes the host to die instantly."

"Which is why Yusuke and Kurama are such good targets, both of their bodies are human adaptations to demon energy," Hiei continued, glancing at Yusuke.

"But then how'd he get in Yomi's brat? Isn't he a demon too?" Kuwabara pointed out arrogantly.

"I suppose part of the cloning process made him a little less demon than we thought."

"Hold on a minute, _clone_?" Harry interjected.

"This is getting to be a pain, I say let's just bust in there and force him out!" Yusuke shouted angrily, ignoring Harry's confusion. "We've been sitting on our asses for three days with nothing to show for it!"

"It's true, there is very little that I and Harry could do," McGonagall said with a sigh. The group fell quiet.

"Wait a minute," Harry said, remembering the battle. "My Protego spell worked."

"Your what?" Kuwabara asked.

"Protego. A shield charm," Harry told them, pulling out his wand hurriedly. "I casted it out of instinct to protect my son and I, but when he touched it, it exploded!"

"But I thought demons weren't affected by magic," Yusuke said doubtfully.

"Cast that spell again," Koenma asked. Harry nodded, pointing his wand above him.

"Protego Maxima." Whisps of green light poured from his wand tip, forming a protective bubble around him. Koenma's eyes widened in surprise, and he pressed himself close to inspect it.

"Amazing," was all he uttered as he explored every inch of the shield. "There's spirit energy in here."

"I have spirit energy?" Harry asked incredulously. Yusuke grinned, giving him a thumbs up.

"Welcome to the club Pops."

"But how?"

"You've died once, haven't you?" Koenma asked absentmindedly, continuing to admire the shield charm. "Coming close to death can heighten a person's spirit awareness." Harry was reminded of his near-death experience, when he faced Voldemort, ready to accept his fate. It seemed so long ago, but he was thankful now that he had chosen to live, rather than die.

"So he's mixed magic with spirit energy?" Kuwabara asked, poking the bubble. It wobbled uncertainly, but held its shape. "Sounds fishy."

"I hate to ruin the fun, but how's a silly little bubble going to help us?" Hiei argued.

"Well, maybe it's not just this spell," Koenma said encouragingly. "Harry, I want you to focus all of your energy into your wand." Harry held up the wand, staring intently. He wasn't sure what to expect, but then to his amazement it began to feel hot, glowing with a bright green light. Shocked, he dropped the wand, letting it clatter on the floor.

"It was hot!"

"That's what spirit energy feels like Pops," Yusuke said, picking up the wand for him. "I get that feeling all the time when I fire my spirit gun." He handed it back to Harry, who took it hesitantly. "Try it again, and don't drop the wand this time." Harry wasn't sure he was doing it right, but he tried again, this time keeping a firm grip on his wand. Just like before, it grew hot, but somehow it wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be. It glowed brightly in his hand, illuminating the office in a green light.

"What a rare color," Koenma commented. "Now, try using a spell."

"On who? There aren't any demons around here." Something flickered in his sight. He tried to follow it, finally catching up to its source by the window. Hiei was halfway out the window, his leg caught firmly in Yusuke's hand.

"Nice try Hiei," Yusuke said wickedly, pulling him back into the office.

"I refuse to be your lab monkey!" Hiei snapped, drawing his blade. Not wanting to miss his chance, Harry pointed his glowing wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Bright green and blue sparks shot out of his wand, hitting Hiei squarely in the chest. The demon froze on the spot, his legs and arms locking in place as he fell lifelessly to the floor.

"It worked!" Kuwabara said gleefully, bending down to poke Hiei in the cheek. "I can't believe it, shorty got fried!"

"Not fried, just frozen," Harry corrected him. He pointed his wand again at Hiei, still glowing. "Finite Incantatum." In moments Hiei was back on his feet, his eyes burning with anger. The very first thing he did was grab Kuwabara by the collar, throwing the large man clear through the window. Harry ran to the window to try and save him, but Hiei cut him off, staring up at him with rage filled eyes.

"If you so much as lift a finger I promise you won't be able to find it," he growled before disappearing from sight. A loud splash was heard as Kuwabara landed in the lake, and Harry could only hope he was still in one piece.

"Don't worry about him, I hear fools float," Yusuke said with a grin, standing beside Harry at the window. Harry turned to him with a face of horror.

"Are you mental?!" he cried out. "Who throws a man out of a tower window!" Yusuke and Koenma were treating it like it was completely normal. He turned to McGonagall, hoping for some support, but the tired Headmistress had somehow dozed off without anyone noticing. Suddenly losing his energy, he slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I'm tired. I want to sleep." He left Yusuke to his own laughing fit, gently placed a hand on McGonagall's shoulder. She jumped to attention, looking around wildly before regaining her composure.

"Are you alright, professor?" Harry said to her softly. She removed her glasses with a sigh, wiping them with her handkerchief.

"It seems the days just keep getting longer," she mumbled, placing them back on her nose.

"I gotta go fish the idiot out of the lake," Yusuke said, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'll see you around, Pops." Harry nodded. He couldn't see Koenma anymore, and so he assumed the man had already left via his disappearing act.

"You may go, Potter, I'm quite capable of handling myself," McGonagall said to him, rising from her seat.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she stated firmly. "Return to your son. No doubt he needs you now more than ever."

"Thanks." Harry left McGonagall's office, heading straight for the Hospital Wing. Upon entering, he could see that his wife and son had fallen asleep together on the bed. His son's eyes were red and puffy, and in his heart he felt a pang of regret. He knew there was nothing he could've done to save Shuichi, but in a way he felt responsible all the same. Sighing, he conjured a chair from the other side of the room, sitting beside the bed.

All his life, he had truly believed that his children would never have to face what he did when he was young. With Voldemort out of the picture, he thought that they would fear things far less frightening and be safe from all the dangers he went through. But that hope was gone now as the depressing reality sunk in. He would never escape the "Hero's Journey," for there would always be a more powerful villain to replace the one he defeated.

He covered his face with his hands, trying not to let the tears fall from his eyes. All he wanted was a better world for his sons and daughter to live in. Was that too much to ask?


	8. Chapter 8

Quite late, but here is the next chapter! Thank you all again for your patience. Things are coming together, and I was a bit too liberal with the previous chapter. Ah well. Please enjoy!

As always, any feedback would be wonderful! :D

* * *

_James' breathing was hard as he pushed through the crowd, desperate to get to the other side. He didn't know what was on the other side, but he knew that he had to make it across no matter what, and the faceless bodies that stood in his way were becoming increasingly frustrating. His legs felt like lead, and his entire body slowed with each step. Why was it so hard to run?_

_He finally made it through the crowd, and kneeling in front of him was Professor Minamino, his back turned toward him. The cloak he wore turned bright red as it poured from his shoulders like water. James grabbed the professor, trying to stop the enormous flow. His hands became covered in a thick ooze that wouldn't come off, no matter how hard he tried to wipe it away._

_"Professor! Professor!" he cried out, furiously trying to remove the tar-like cloak from Minamino's back. "I'm sorry professor! I tried!"_

_"Not hard enough." His face turned, and before James' eyes it melted away, revealing the sickening grin of the imp face. "I'm very disappointed in you, James." A pale, clawed hand reached for his throat, and suddenly James couldn't breathe. His chest heaved with effort, and he tried reaching up to remove the clawed hand. "It would be better for all of us if you died."_

_"Hn, awarena." A pillar of black flames burst from the ground, severing the imp's arm from James. Curling like a snake, it wrapped itself around the imp, burning it to nothing. The imp continued to grin, silently boring down on James as it burned. Able to breathe once more, James collapsed onto the ground. The pillar of black flames snaked itself around him, revealing a dragon-like face that stared hard at him. "Me wo tojite," a deep, familiar voice said to him, and James felt the unconscious need to close his eyes._

* * *

Harry looked anxiously over to Hiei, whose eyes were closed. A third eye on his forehead shone brightly in the dark room, its purple iris glinting with its own light. It shone down on his son, who had stopped shaking. The third eye closed, and Hiei opened his own crimson eyes as he tied the bandanna back onto his forehead.

"Was it the same as before?" Harry asked. Hiei glanced at him with annoyance.

"Of course it was, fool. Unless you truly believe your son's afraid of rainbows and daisies." Over the past couple weeks Harry had gotten used to his blunt, ill-tempered attitude, and chose to ignore his sarcastic remarks.

"Thank you," was all he could muster. "I can't express how grateful I am that you're doing this."

"I'm not doing it for you," Hiei snapped. He looked down at James, his eyes narrowed. "It's humiliating to allow Kurama's reputation to be sullied by a worthless child."

"He's not worthless, he's my son!" Harry snarled angrily. Hiei kept his mouth shut, refusing to get into a pointless argument, and instead flitted through the window and disappeared. Harry sat wearily by his son's side. Every night, James had the same reoccurring nightmare that caused his body to spasm in his sleep. During his suspension, when Harry had him staying in Hogsmeade, he couldn't do anything to help him other than waking him up. Thankfully Yusuke had mentioned Hiei's ability to enter dreams, and with luck they managed to persuade the tiny fire demon to agree. Yusuke believed Hiei secretly enjoyed the thrill of killing Crucias each night.

Once they returned to Hogwarts, however, it was clear that James could no longer sleep in the dormitory unsupervised, so McGonagall returned Harry to his office, having renovated it into a bedroom for the both of them. It was becoming a nightly routine that Harry was beginning to adjust to, and it scared him. There was no way to tell how long this was going to last, and Harry couldn't rely on Hiei forever.

"We have to end this," he said decidedly to Yusuke, who was sitting beside him in the Great Hall.

"What's that?"

"James keeps having nightmares, and I don't know what to do," Harry growled in frustration. Yusuke sighed loudly.

"Relax, Pops. We've got a plan, we just have to wait a while."

"How much longer though?" Harry pressed him. "That juice, potion, whatever it is you're making is taking too long!" Yusuke spat out his chicken bone, leaning in close to Harry with a grim face.

"Don't you think I know that?" Harry was stunned by Yusuke's dark, deep-set eyes. They were filled with hatred and regret, and it reminded Harry that Yusuke considered Shuichi his friend.

"Sorry," he mumbled apologetically. Yusuke grunted in acceptance, his eyes lighting up with their usual gung-ho attitude.

"Don't worry about it." He continued to devour his lunch while Harry placidly poked at his food. "You haven't told your kid yet, have you?"

"Told him what?"

"That we plan to save Kurama." Harry scoffed.

"Just because we have a plan doesn't mean it's going to work," he said forcefully. "I'm not going to fill my son with a false hope if we fail."

"So you're fine with watching him suffer like this?" Yusuke pointed down the hall to James, who sat with hunched shoulders as he stared at his food.

"Of course I'm not fine with it," Harry growled. "He shouldn't have to face death so young. Even I didn't have to watch someone die until-" He stopped, swallowing hard as he remembered the death of Cedric Diggory. "-until I was fourteen." Yusuke shrugged.

"He's your kid. All I'm saying is I'd hate to be kept in the dark about it." Harry tried to ignore his comment, but a small trickle of doubt crept into his head. Looking back at James, he wondered if Yusuke was right. But it was too late to go back now.

* * *

During his free period, James spent his time doing homework in the bedroom he and his father shared. Most days he was alone because Harry had "important business with Urameshi,," that he couldn't talk about, but James was too tired to care. Sitting at the small wooden desk, he slowly pulled out some loose parchment from his bag and begrudgingly began his homework. Their new Herbology professor, Professor Longbottom, was desperately trying to make up for the lost time since Minamino's disappearance.

James, Gaby, and Angie were the only ones who knew the truth about Professor Minamino's passing. It made sitting in Herbology a painful reminder, and the awkwardness of everyone's nonchalant attitude really angered him even though he knew they were doing nothing wrong. And while Professor Longbottom really knew what he was doing, it didn't change the fact that Minamino was gone. Thinking about it, James felt a sudden pressure over his heart as tears stung his eyes. He didn't want to cry, so he resolved himself and fought back, clutching at his chest.

He settled on distracting himself with homework, and stared blankly at the parchment in front of him. He was supposed to be writing a 700 word essay on the practical properties of the Moly plant. He knew the plant quite well, considering that it was once his duty to water them in the greenhouse. At the moment, however, it was difficult to remember anything about the plant. He sighed, glancing over at the small bed beside him. The thought of going to bed brought nothing but terror, and though he desperately needed the sleep he wasn't prepared to even attempt climbing in bed.

The door burst open and James fell out from his chair in shock, his heart beating rapidly. "Harii! Harii!" Kuwabara's large frame filled the doorway as he glanced around the room wildly. In his arms was a rather large jar containing a strange purple liquid, which he kept clutched to his body.

James stood up quickly, taking in deep breaths. "You're looking for my dad?" he asked. Kuwabara noticed him and gave him a grin.

"James! Harii wa doko ka!?" He was speaking Japanese again, which meant no one had put a translation charm on him. Sighing, James had to rely on what little Japanese he could remember from their previous encounters.

"Dad, er, waa Yusuke?" he said hesitantly, his voice squeaking with uncertainty. Kuwabara seemed to get the message, for his face brightened up.

"OK! Sankyuu!" The door slammed shut, and James was left alone again in the bedroom. The silence began to overwhelm him, and he took another deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs to their full capacity. He let the breath go until there was no more left, and it carried with it the stress and anxiety of his problems. But his head was still full of doubts and worries, quickly replacing the heavy burden back onto his shoulders. Tilting his head side to side, he sat back in his seat and resumed his work.

* * *

Harry's throat began to tighten with frustration as Yusuke berated him again. His brow was beginning to sweat, and his breath was uneven from exhaustion and pent up anger. He couldn't remember how many times he's tried to light his wand with spirit energy, but at every attempt the wand would glow for a brief moment before snuffing out like a candle.

"It's pathetic! You should be holding it for at least a minute," Yusuke shouted at him. "Concentrate harder!"

"I am!" Harry snapped angrily. "It's not as easy as it looks!"

"Do you think Crucias is gonna give a damn about it? 'Sorry Mr. Crucias sir, but let's have a time-out while I collect myself!'" Harry's teeth clenched together tightly in rage.

"Your teaching methods are terrible!" he rebuked, dropping his concentration. His wand sparked with a green light before it vanished completely. "How am I supposed to get anything done with you yelling at everything I do!?"

"Life isn't full of sunshine and daisies, Pops, so get used to it!" Yusuke bellowed, his eyes furrowed with annoyance. The two of them stood head to head, being very close in height. "You've only got three shots a day, do you really wanna gamble your life on that?" Harry was completely infuriated by this much younger teen who carried himself like a spoiled king. And it was never Harry's idea to get training in the first place.

"I'll take my chances," Harry mumbled, turning his back to Yusuke as he stomped away. He didn't want anything to do with spirit energy and demons. Two heavy footsteps later he heard a high pitched shrill behind him. Looking back, he had no time to react as he was engulfed by a bright blue light. It pushed him off of his feet and into the air, where he soared for the briefest moment before falling hard on his back and into the dirt. His chest was burning as if he was hit by a Fire-Making Spell, and he could faintly smell the distinct scent of burning cloth. He glanced down at what was left of his shirt, exposing his vulnerable skin.

Harry raised his head up feebly to glare at Yusuke, who had his finger pointed at him like a gun. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing!?" he cried out, forcing himself to stand. His knees shook uncontrollably, but he forced them to lock and support his weight. He would not allow himself to be beaten.

"I'm holding back," Yusuke retorted darkly, lowering his hand. "And look how pathetic you are. You can barely stand after one shot."

"Don't tell me what I can't and can't do," Harry retorted back, raising his wand up. "I'm not a child!"

"Then start acting like an adult and take responsibility!" Yusuke shouted back. Again he aimed his finger at Harry. "Spirit gun!"

"Protego!" The ball of energy smashed into Harry's Protective Charm, exploding on contact. "Are you trying to kill me!?" he shouted incredulously.

"Maybe I am!" Yusuke shot another blast of energy. Harry ducked to the right into a tumble roll, barely managing to hide behind a rock. His legs gave out as he tried to stand, but at least he managed to dodge the attack. "I never took you for a coward Pops!" Something snapped in Harry, and pushing off the rock with his hands he sprung upwards, wand at the ready.

"Impedimenta!" He ducked behind the rock before he could see if the jinx hit its target. However there was no sound, so he could only assumed it had missed its target. No sooner had he deduced this when suddenly Yusuke appeared crouched in front of him, his hands on his knees.

"Too slow Pops." There was a loud ringing sound in Harry's ear as stars glittered behind his eyelids. In the next moment he found himself lying on his side in the dirt, his mind just a hazy, sluggish mess. Blinking the stars from his eyes, he tried to make sense of what had just happened. He had to do something, anything to defend himself.

Something grabbed the collar of his jacket, dragging him upwards. Weakly he clung to the clenched fist, but his fingers wouldn't grip properly. Opening one eye, he could barely make out the shape of Yusuke. "See Pops? You're not on our level." Harry's face began to burn as it swelled where Yusuke had hit him. It was definitely going to leave a mark. "I'm not gonna lie, you won't be anywhere remotely close to our level." The blurry outline began to finally take shape, and Harry could see Yusuke's intent gaze. "But if you really want to be a part of this, and if you want our plan to succeed, you're gonna have to learn to defend yourself." Harry closed his one open eye, embarrassed. His fingers slowly regained their strength as they pushed against Yusuke's fist to free himself. Yusuke let him go and stood up.

"I know that," Harry mumbled inaudibly. His voice cracked as he tried to say the words he wanted to say. "I must be pathetic to you." Again he felt his jacket being gripped tightly, but this time he was lifted up to his feet. Yusuke grinned and patted his jacket rather roughly, and Harry almost stumbled underneath the sheer force of pressure. It was like getting brushed off by Hagrid.

"Everyone starts somewhere, right?" Yusuke encouraged. "You should've seen me four years ago. Man, was I full of myself."

"You're still full of yourself."

"Ha ha, very funny." Yusuke held out his hand, revealing Harry's wand. "We'll call it a day."

"Urameshi! Urameshi doko ka!?" Across the fields Kuwabara was sprinting like mad, his face flushed with sweat and exhaustion.

"What's he doing out here?" Yusuke mused aloud. Harry glanced at him.

"Don't ask me. How would I know?"

"Right." The tall, lanky man stopped in front of them and doubled over, panting furiously. "Well spit it out Kuwabara, we don't have all day."

"Wakannai... supeeru... eigo..." He sputtered and coughed loudly, spitting out words at a time while pointing to Harry.

"Oh, right. Lingua Verto."

"It's ready!" he cried out, his back heaving with the effort. Yusuke's eyes widened.

"Where is it?" Kuwabara stood up, revealing the large jar he held in his arms. The liquid inside looked almost like a pale red wine with a floating bulb of some sort at the top. "Botan entrusted this to you?" Yusuke mocked with a grin.

"It's fine isn't it!" he snapped angrily, having finally caught his breath. Yusuke reached forward, taking the jar from Kuwabara and holding it up with one hand. The jar barely fit in his palm, but he held it with precision and balance as he inspected the liquid closely. "Looks the same."

"You think Suzuki got the recipe right?" Kuwabara asked hesitantly. Yusuke shrugged.

"Guess we'll find out tomorrow." He glanced at Harry with bright brown eyes. "Ready to put your training to the test Pops?" Harry held his breath. His skirmish with Yusuke had clearly shown that he wasn't ready for any sort of battle with demons. However, he had no choice. It was now or never. His teeth were gnashing, and his eyes quickly darted from Yusuke to Kuwabara and back again.

"Fine."

* * *

The next evening filled Harry with anxiety as he paced back and forth in his room. James had already left for supper with dark circles under his eyes and hunched shoulders. His nightmares persisted every night despite Hiei's constant attention, and Harry even dared to believe they were becoming more frequent. Harry hoped that their plan would change that.

Realizing that he was pacing, he forced himself to sit still at his desk, and his eyes wandered to a small envelope, the only object on his desk. Written in small, careful handwriting was his wife's name and nothing more. He didn't know when he had started it exactly, but as his family grew so too did his worries about leaving them behind with nothing. Written in the letter was the same message he always wrote, yet each one had its own meaning and words. It was a letter he thankfully has never sent to this day.

Someone started pounding on his door, and in a hurry he crossed the floor, knowing who it was. Sure enough, it was Yusuke and Kuwabara, their faces grim and foreboding. Without a word Harry grabbed his broomstick beside the door and felt for his wand in his cloak. It was there, and with a sigh he closed the door behind him. Silently he followed them through the halls, hoping that it wouldn't be his last.

The sky was filled with fiery hues of gold and pink as the sun sank beneath the horizon. Professor McGonagall stood with Hiei outside the gate, waiting patiently. "Hello Headmistress," Harry said politely.

"Good evening. I assume everything is in order?" she asked, exchanging glances with everyone.

"Not quite, we have a couple friends joining us," Yusuke said while swiveling his head.

"They've been asked to kindly wait at Hagrid's hut until you arrive."

"Wait, who's coming?" Kuwabara cut in, but Yusuke gave him a sly grin.

"You'll see soon enough." Harry stepped to the side towards McGonagall, leaning in close.

"Minerva," he mumbled quietly. "I'd like to ask you for a favor." She peered at him with critical eyes, which softened at his pleading tone.

"If it is within my power."

"There is a letter addressed to my wife on my desk, if you could-" McGonagall raised a hand, silencing him with her stern gaze.

"That I cannot do," she replied firmly. "If you must, do it on your own time upon your return." Her gaze was steady and confident, leaving Harry no room for argument. A wry smile formed on his lips as he nodded in agreement.

"You're right."

"Come on Pops! We're wasting daylight!" Yusuke called out to him. Harry jogged to catch up. Below the grassy hills he could see the edge of the Forbidden Forest, which grew darker the longer he stared at it. By the time they reached Hagrid's hut the last of the sun's rays had disappeared completely behind the trees. Now, more than ever, he wished they had left just a little sooner.

"I really hope this works," Kuwabara muttered under his breath.

"It's all we've got, it has to work," Yusuke replied. Hiei snorted.

"Even an untrained monkey could do your job," he commented sourly.

"You wanna go? Let's go, right now! I'll kick your ass and serve it to you fried and crispy!" Harry rubbed his temples, sighing under his breath. He couldn't fathom how they managed to work as a team, let alone be friends.

"Kuwabara, quit it! Save your energy for later," Yusuke remarked. The two squabbling friends turned away from each other with a huff, Kuwabara grumbled inaudibly while Hiei scoffed loudly. "I think I see them up ahead."

"Oi Yusuke! Omae ka?!" Harry smelled the liquor before he saw the tall drunkard with a bright blue mohawk, and the stench was overwhelming his nose. He waved at the air as if it would help, but already his head was feeling nauseous.

"You brought Chu here!?" Kuwabara shouted incredulously, pointing wildly at the accused. Chu hiccuped, staggering slightly, and for once Harry agreed with Kuwabara.

"I'm sorry, how is a _drunkard_ going to help us?" he asked impatiently. Yusuke grinned.

"Relax, he's just warming up."

"Warming up!?"

"You mind doing that spell on him too?"

"Kikoeruka? Oi Yusuke! Kikinasaiyo!" Hesitantly, Harry raised his wand.

"Lingua Verto."

"I said listen ta me! Hey! Woah, what's this? I sound funny." Harry instantly regretted his actions. "I say, you gots ta figure out 'is plan, see!"

"Chu! Glad you could make it," Yusuke said, looking up at him. Chu stood a good two feet taller than Yusuke, passing even Kuwabara in height. His face was beet red from the liquor and sporting a messy stubble of facial hair.

"I wouldn'ta missed it fer the world," Chu slurred, wrapping his massive arm across Yusuke's shoulders with a grin. "So, who we ahuntin' tonight?" The wind picked up considerably, and Harry was blinded by his own hair being tossed around wildly.

"YUSUKE GA WASURETE SHIMATTA!" The wild winds stopped as quickly as they began as a flash of red passed by Harry's face. After rubbing the stray hairs out of his eyes, he saw sitting cross legged atop both Yusuke and Chu was another strange man with bushy red hair and bright blue eyes, which were glistening with tears. Harry couldn't believe how large his pointed ears were as they extended farther than even a goblin's, and atop his head protruded a single pointed horn. "Naze tegami wo okutta koto janai no ka!?" he pleaded. At least, that's what Harry thought he sounded like.

"Lingua Verto."

"Jin calm down! I haven't forgotten about you," Yusuke tried to reassure him. Jin's eyes widened as the spell did its work, and he glanced wildly between the three of them.

"How did-!? What?"

"Issalright, we're all soundin' a bit funny," Chu replied, patting Jin's head.

"I can't believe it!"

"If you three are done behaving like idiots," Hiei cut in abrasively, "I'd like to get things over with while we're all still alive."

"Right, sorry."

"Wot crawled inta 'is arse?" Chu muttered with annoyance. Hiei's blade was pointed at Chu's throat unforgivingly. "Sorry, my bad."

"Chu, Jin," Yusuke started, ignoring Hiei's temper, "I'd like you to meet our new friend Harry Potter. He's our wizard liaison that we're helping out." Chu offered a large hand, which Harry accepted grudgingly.

"Nice ta meetcha, mate." Harry then extended his hand to Jin, who shook it very enthusiastically.

"A pleasure to be sure!"

"Um, likewise."

"Are you quite finished?" Hiei asked impatiently. "Let's get this over with before I die from your stupidity."

* * *

Harry started his journey into the Forbidden Forest alone with only his broom and wand. His eyes darted back and forth fearfully, trying to peer through the dark tree trunks that blocked his view. He couldn't help but imagine that the woods were wiggling ever so slightly, and each time he thought he saw movement his head whipped about anxiously, his heart beating faster. He strained his ears to hear anything he could possibly hear, but the forest was eerily silent. A large lump formed in his throat, and the hairs on the back of his neck continued to shiver uncontrollably.

A twig snapped behind him and he jumped, his foot landing awkwardly on a root. He lost his balance and toppled over onto the plush earth beneath him. His broom was flung from his hand, clattering against a nearby tree. Sputtering, he tried to wipe the dirt from his face when he noticed the pair of shoes that stood in front of his face.

"_Why hello, Mr. Potter,_" the lucid voice said above him. "_I must say, I wasn't expecting any visitors_." Harry pushed himself up and backed away from Crucias as quickly as he could, breathing hard. Although it was Shuichi that stood before him, it was also clearly not Shuichi. His emerald eyes were dulled, and his face had grown pale and thin with sharp cheekbones. Even the roots of his bright red hair were bleaching into a sickly yellow color and frazzled beyond control. Harry wasn't sure how, but Crucias had managed to find a new set of clothes, which fit snugly with neat precision. There was still an indent, however, where Shuichi's heart had once been.

Crucias bent down to Harry's level, making eye contact. He smirked, revealing sharp ivory fangs. "_Have you come to save Kurama, perhaps?_" Harry stood up, reaching for his wand and pointing it at Crucias.

"I have," he stated firmly. Crucias laughed, and the hollow sound echoed among the trees.

"_How interesting. I suppose I can spare a moment or two. Only for you, of course._" Harry swallowed hard before taking in a deep breath. "_Shall I give you a head sta-_"

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry cried out, focusing everything he had into his wand. Green sparks whip-lashed onto Crucias, who lifted his arms protectively. In the split second he had, Harry grabbed for his broom, turning back to Crucias. His arms were bleeding from the lashes Harry had inflicted, but Crucias paid no heed to them.

"_Impressive. You're mixing your spirit energy into the magic._" Harry swung a leg over the broom and shot into the air, keeping his eyes focused intently on Crucias. But the demon suddenly disappeared, and with no other option left Harry made a mad dash for Hogwarts. He heard a high pitched noise like the sound of a jet plane revving its propellers. Turning to his left, he saw Crucias flying beside him with ease, his lower half nothing more than a trail of mist. Instinctively Harry veered to the right, and not a moment later the air above him exploded with no immediate cause. "_Keep running! It makes the game that much more exciting!_" Harry's skin shivered with goosebumps, and he raised his wand into the air.

"Protego Maxima!" The bubble charm enveloped him in a bright green light, glowing with his spirit energy.

"_That trick again?_" Crucias mused with disappointment. "_You have nothing better to show me?_" The charm exploded, and Harry was blown away by the force, his head pulsing from the blast. It took him a few moments to realize he no longer had the broom beneath him and was plummeting to the forest canopy below. Somehow still clutching his wand, he raised it as high as he could.

"Accio broom!" It whizzed by his face before he could make an attempt to grab it, and he could see it getting farther and farther away from him. "Accio broom!" he shouted again, and the broom shot straight back up into his palm. Clinging tightly, he swung a leg over the handle and pulled it upwards as hard as he could, aiming for Hogwarts. His chest heaved and his breathing was haggard, but even so he searched the air wildly for any sign of Crucias. The skies were empty.

"_You wizarding lot have certainly become more resourceful these past few centuries,_" Crucias commented from below him. Harry looked down at his smirking face with a snarl. He had one shot left, so he had to make it count. Mustering all of his spirit energy, all of his will and hate and fear, he collected it into one final spell.

"Avada Kedavra!" An explosion of green light erupted from his wand, and Crucias spiraled out of control, crashing into the canopy below with a loud crunch. Harry didn't dare to stop as he lay flat on his broom, willing it to go faster. His eyes were watering from the wind, yet he could faintly see the light from Hagrid's hut, and a wave of relief washed over him.

It didn't last very long, for beneath the canopy of the forest Crucias' chilling laugh filled the air with a horrendous screeching noise. Harry couldn't believe it, though he would admit he doubted the idea in the first place. "_What fun!_" Crucias cried out with jubilee. "_Such an intense burning sensation that I've never felt before!_" Harry dared to turn back his head to see the state of affairs. Growing exponentially in size was a dark mist that billowed fiercely above the treetops. Lightning sparked sporadically through the clouds, and at the forefront of it all was Crucias. "_Give me something more to play with!_" His eyes were wide open in a crazed expression, and the sight of it made Harry's heart nearly stop. He had no more options left. He shot red sparks high into the air with his wand, then dived straight into the trees.

He casted a quick Protego Charm to avoid getting hit by stray branches until finally he landed on the ground, his feet planted firmly in the dirt. Crucias had also dived to the ground, and as he stepped lightly on the forest floor, mist poured from beneath his feet, filling the storm cloud behind him. "_Little bird, you've lost your wings,_" he cooed mockingly, stepping forward slowly. Harry stepped back, trying to keep his distance. "_Are we getting shy now? You were so very enthusiastic when we started._"

"Why don't you pick on someone you're own size!" Yusuke hollered from behind a tree. Harry's entire body shook with relief, and he quickly backed out of the way. Crucias stopped, his crazy grin turning sour as his attention shifted. Yusuke grinned confidently, cracking his knuckles threateningly. "Scared that I'm gonna kick your ass? You should be."

"_I would gladly give you the attention you desire, Yusuke, if you hadn't brought so many guests._"

"Couldn't have a party without them." Chu and Kuwabara also appeared from behind the trees. The atmosphere became heavy, and Harry felt an enormous pressure pushing him to the ground. Looking from Yusuke to Crucias, he realized they were sizing each other up. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Chu began to glow brightly with spirit energy, filling the forest clearing with light. Harry held up a hand to shield his eyes from the intensity of it. "So what's it gonna be, Crucias? Are we gonna do this the easy way or the hard way?" Yusuke asked. Crucias returned the question with a small smile.

"_I was hoping for a snack,_" he remarked coldly, taking two steps back into his cloud. The mist enveloped him, leaving nothing but his head visible. "_But it looks to be out of the question. Until next time._" His body suddenly lurched forward as the mist shifted slightly. Then, it formed itself into a vicious whirlwind that shot straight into the sky, emptying the forest floor. Standing behind Crucias was Hiei with his hand dug wrist deep into Crucias' back. Blood spurted from Crucias' mouth as he coughed, then grinned. "_What could you possibly be looking for?_" he said weakly, turning to Hiei with a smirk.

"Shut up." Hiei pulled hard, ripping something that Harry could only describe as a glowing purple orb from Crucias' back. The demon staggered and fell to his knees, vomiting more blood. Jin appeared by Hiei's side, holding open the jar lid as Hiei quickly placed the glowing orb inside. It shone brilliantly for the briefest of moments before its light completely vanished, leaving the jar empty save for a single, persistent ember.

"We got him!" Kuwabara cheered triumphantly. "In your face you shitty demon!" But Crucias simply laughed.

"_Finally, I am free from all distractions._" Harry ducked behind a tree as the entire clearing exploded, catching Yusuke and everyone else in the blast. Looking up he saw Hiei sitting in the branches of the tree with the jar in his hands, having barely avoided the attack.

"Run while you still can," he suggested passively.

"But what about everyone else?" Harry asked.

"Yusuke can handle it himself." He disappeared from his spot, and with nothing else to do Harry took his advice, taking off into the forest towards Hogwarts. His breathing became hard, and after a few minutes he had to stop and catch his breath. There were a multitude of explosions happening behind him, and as he looked back he could see that much of the Forbidden Forest was now on fire. Four shadowy figures danced in the burning light, clashing like gods among men. Harry couldn't help but stand in awe at their raw power.

"What're ya crazy? Run!" Jin shouted behind him. A gust of air propelled Harry forward, almost tripping him on a root. His hand felt empty, and he looked down to realize his broom had been left behind.

"Accio broom!" As he ran towards Hogwarts, he constantly looked back until he saw a bright ball of fire heading straight for him. Gasping he tumbled to the ground as it whizzed above his head, and with regret Harry realized that it had been his broom, or at least what was left of it. Grunting angrily, he left his broom behind, digging his heels into the dirt.

The fire in the canopy burned the branches above him, and the ash and debris rained down on him mercilessly. Each step grew heavier as the smoke entered his lungs, and his chest heaved with every breath as he doubled over. He coughed violently, and his throat burned from the effort. Behind him he could hear loud cracks in the sky, knowing it to be Yusuke's work. Determined not to fail, he stood up straight, pointing his wand high into the air.

"AGUAMENTI!" Water poured from the tip of his wand like a fountain, and with some effort Harry waved it around himself in a protective circle. Everything, including himself, became drenched, quelling the flames around him. Gasping for breath, he lowered his wand, muttering, "Finite Incantatem." The ribbon of water slowed to nothing more than a trickle before disappearing completely. Exhausted, soaked, and sore, he staggered slowly across the roots of the trees for what seemed like hours. The explosions in the sky diminished as he walked farther and farther away.

"Hn, so you're still alive." Harry raised his head slowly, looking up to Hiei, who was sitting idly on a low hanging branch. Tucked protectively underneath his arms was the jar. Any other day and he would have said something back, but he was too tired to care, really, and lowered his head again, continuing to move forward. It was only a few more yards until he reached the edge of the forest. He was overcome with joy and triumph upon seeing Hogwarts standing tall just ahead of him. He rubbed his face excessively, trying to put feeling back into it to form a weak smile.

"Harry!" McGonagall's shrill voice called. Harry dropped his hands from his face as McGonagall rushed to him. Behind her was Professor Flitwick and Etheridge, who exchanged wary glances with each other as they neared the fiery forest. "Harry are you alright!?"

"Yeah, I'm ok, I'm fine," Harry said softly, lowering himself to the ground. "I just... need to sit, if you don't mind."

"Of course," she replied hurriedly, sitting beside him in the grass. She anxiously looked over him like a worried hen. Harry thought that if given the chance, she would have been a great mother. "Did it work?" she whispered quietly. Harry nodded, and she let go of the breath she had been holding.

"At least, I think so. I don't know what they did."

"Well, as long as you're back safe and sound, it's a victory in my book." She turned her attention away from Harry to the other two professors. "Filius, Collette, we need that fire extinguished immediately." They nodded and took off towards the lake, Etheridge taking smooth strides with her long legs and Flitwick furiously running to keep up. "Harry, you need to be looked at," she told him, gripping his arm to drag him up.

"I'm fine, professor," Harry insisted, pulling away from her. "It's just a few scrapes is all."

"Have you taken a good look at yourself?" McGonagall replied hotly. She etched a circle in the air, which conjured a small mirror that hovered in front of Harry. His face was covered in a dark soot, and on the left side of his head was a layer of dried blood, which cracked as he winced at his own reflection. He was beginning to notice the sore spots he had on his face and arms from his flight in the woods, which throbbed slightly. He looked like hell, and now finally he was starting to feel it.

"Yusuke's probably worse off than I am," he muttered, waving a wand through McGonagall's mirror.

"You don't give him enough credit," McGonagall said swiftly. "Now, off to the infirmary, before I do something drastic." Harry glanced longingly back at the forest. The distant explosions sounded like the rumbling thunder of a passing storm, and as much as he wanted to wait for everyone to return, he also didn't want to find out how drastic McGonagall could get. Sighing, he dried his clothes with a quick Hot-Air Charm before making his way slowly back to Hogwarts.

* * *

James crept slowly into the bedroom he and his father shared, hoping that he wouldn't wake him up. Finishing his homework with Nathan and the twins took a lot longer than he thought it would, and he was quite surprised that Harry hadn't already come to fetch him. Whatever the reason was, however, James would be extremely grateful for it as long as his father didn't wake up.

The warm light from the hallway torches poured through the doorway, illuminating half of the room in its glow. It reached to the other side of the room, and James caught a glimpse of his father's bed. He stopped mid-step, afraid that the light from the door was too bright. Peering into the dark, he tried to see the faint shape of a body on the bed. To his surprise, the bed lay completely flat. James couldn't help the curiosity that overwhelmed him and dared to open the door even further, bathing the bed in light. His father wasn't there.

Sighing with relief, he turned on the light in the room, closing the door behind him quickly. Tossing his bag to the side, he dug through his drawers to find his pajamas. It was very fortunate his father wasn't back, but he didn't want to push his luck. He threw his uniform onto the floor and kicked his bag away from the bed while still pulling his pajama shirt over his head. Crossing the room, he lifted his hand to the light, hesitating. He looked back at the bed, and his body shivered slightly.

It was the hardest part of the night, knowing that the moment he closed his eyes everything would spiral out of his control. His heart raced as he remembered the horrible impish face that grinned with malice and hate, and the shower of blood that overflowed from Professor Minamino's missing heart. His hands shook with fear from the sensation that seemed so vivid, and he glanced down at them just to be sure that it wasn't real. But it was real. Everything that happened that night three weeks ago happened, and there was nothing that James could do to change that. Even in his dreams, he couldn't change the damage that had already been done.

A rhythmic clacking noise was coming from outside the door. In a panic, James shut off the lights and dove into bed, the danger of getting caught preceding that of the nightmares. He pulled the covers over his head, allowing just enough room to spy through the folds. As he had expected, his father tumbled into the room, nearly tripping on James' schoolbag. James inwardly winced, hoping he wouldn't get yelled at about it later.

That's when he noticed the jar that Harry held snugly beneath his arm. It almost looked like the same jar that Kuwabara had been holding the other day, but it was difficult to tell. Harry lifted the jar onto his desk, grunting softly. His hands were wrapped in bandages, and it looked like his head was too. "_What on earth could he have possibly been doing?"_ James thought to himself. He continued to watch as his father sighed loudly, kicking his shoes off before flopping into bed, suit and all.

James turned his attention back tot he jar. He was pretty sure that it was the same jar, but instead of being filled with liquid it contained a small, purple flame that flickered weakly in the darkness. James couldn't stop staring at it, he was so enchanted by its glow. He couldn't explain it well, but watching the ember flicker and dance somehow calmed his mind. It was as if nothing else mattered in the world, and for that singular moment it was the truth. In the darkness of the night, only the fire remained.

James felt his eyes getting heavy as exhaustion caught up with him. His eyelids flickered and twitched, wanting to close. He fought hard to keep his eyes open, but it soon proved to be too much when they shut on their own accord. Unable to resist any longer, he drifted into sleep.

That night, for the first night in three weeks, James fell into a deep sleep, free from any nightmares.

* * *

The morning rays of light shone through the windows with a bright intensity, and Harry turned over in his bed to avoid it. Moaning slightly at having been woken up, he slowly opened his eyes, staring blankly across the room at his son. James was still soundly asleep in bed. He glanced down at his wristwatch, which he had forgotten to take off last night. It was still rather early, but now that he was awake he couldn't fall back asleep. Taking a deep breath, he extended his arms in a stretch. His muscles were as stiff as boards, and he could feel a numbing sensation along his elbows. It was a grisly reminder of last night's adventure, one he was never going to forget.

He glanced over at the jar, where the flame danced with a wild energy. While they had successfully saved Shuichi, Crucias still managed to get away. Yusuke explained to Harry afterward that removing Shuichi had somehow made him stronger than before, and a much bigger threat than they could have ever predicted. He sat up, walking over to the jar to inspect it carefully. He realized in frustration that he had neglected to cover it in protective spells and immediately set himself to the task, layering the jar with a multitude of charms and wards to keep anything from getting to it. By the time he was done the jar was invisible to the naked eye.

Satisfied, Harry set aside his wand and crossed over to James. He sat down beside him, resting a hand on his head to smooth his unruly hair. The thought occurred to him that he had not woken up since returning to his room last night. Anxious at the thought of his son waking up from nightmares, he gently shook his shoulder. "James," he whispered softly. The boy didn't move. Harry began to panic, and his throat clogged itself uncontrollably. "James, wake up!" he repeated more urgently. This time, James stirred beneath his hands, grumbling softly.

"Leave me alone dad, I want to sleep," he said, shoving Harry's hand away before rolling over in bed. Relieved, Harry could breathe again.

"James, why didn't you wake me up when you had your nightmares?" he asked. James opened one eye to look at him.

"I didn't have any nightmares," he said slowly, almost disbelieving it himself. Harry was startled into silence.

"None?" he finally managed to ask. James nodded his head, this time with both eyes open and a big grin on his face.

"Nope."

* * *

"Kurama ate it," Hiei told Harry curtly.

"He did what?"

"I'm not going to repeat myself." Hiei was the first person Harry assumed to be the cause of his son's lack of nightmares. But to find out that it was actually Shuichi shocked him.

"You guys can... _eat_ dreams?" he asked incredulously. Hiei glanced at him irritably though it seemed he was in a good mood today, all things considered.

"Not all of us. It's quite rare, actually. Even I didn't know he could do it."

"But how?" Harry asked. "I mean, he's just a floating fire right now."

"I'm not going to explain it to some halfwit like you," Hiei snapped impatiently. "Just be grateful your son isn't having them anymore." He disappeared from sight, leaving Harry to his own thoughts. Hiei was right, he should just be grateful that his son was no longer suffering. But it was hard to leave everything at just that. There was so much more that he wanted to learn about it, and Hiei wasn't exactly forthcoming. Sighing, he resigned to put it on his list of questions.

* * *

That morning it began to snow, and Hogwarts' tallest towers were dusted with soft, white caps. The snow didn't stick very well, to everyone's dismay, but the gentle falling of the snowflakes was a thankful distraction from class.

"Guys guys guys!" Gaby cried out excitedly. "It's snowing!" She and Angie were glued to the window, watching every flake as it tumbled to the earth.

"It's just snow, you guys," James said through a laugh. Angie turned to him with a serious face.

"You don't understand. Where we come from, there is no snow."

"No snow?" James asked, disbelieving. "That's ridiculous! How could you not live by snow?" Angie shrugged.

"Well we lived farther south in the desert," she told him. "Not a whole lot of chances for it to snow there. We did get a lot of rain though."

"That's weird," James said matter-of-fact.

"Living in snow is weird," Angie retorted back.

"It seems you three have finished practicing your Draconifors spell remarkably fast," Professor Doxwood commented lightly. The three of them whipped their heads around fearfully until they found him standing right behind them. "I'm sure a 500 word essay on the bond between caster and creature will be a simple matter for you to finish by tomorrow." James face turned sour, hiding behind his book. Gaby and Angie trudged back to their seats, and while Gaby pulled out a parchment to begin her work diligently Angie simply twirled her wand around with her fingers. When Professor Doxwood was out of range, she inched closer to James.

"You look better," she whispered to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. You just... .seem better." The bells rang throughout the school, and the students scurried to get out of class. James stuffed what he could into his bag, scooping up his textbooks into his arms. He was the first one out of the room and into the hallway. "Hey, wait up!" Angie called out to him, trying to shove her way between other students. James didn't look back, he was too focused on moving forward. Finally he was able to break free and be himself, and the thrill in his heart wasn't going away.

Not realizing where he was going, he bumped into the person in front of him. "Sorry," he said quickly, brushing the hair from his eyes. Goldberg looked down at him with disgust.

"Looking for another fight?" he sneered. Miraculously, his two pals were nowhere in sight. James narrowed his eyes but decided to be the better man and walked away. Goldberg just watched him go. James was expecting another insult, or maybe even a full on fist fight. But nothing happened.

Turning the corner of the hallway, he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want Goldberg to ruin his mood. Shifting his books from one arm to the other, he made his way to the Great Hall.


End file.
